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Runner
Matt Bowers’s life ended at sixteen, when a vicious betrayal by someone who he should have been able to trust left him a shell of himself, fighting OCD and PTSD, living in constant fear and always running. When he buys a remote tract of land, he thinks he’s found the perfect place to hide from the world and attempt to establish some peace. For ten years he believes he’s found a measure of comfort, until the day a stranger begins to run on Matt’s road. He returns every day, an unwelcome intrusion into Matt’s carefully structured life. Matt appeals to the local sheriff, who cannot help him since the jogger is doing nothing wrong. Gradually, after tentatively breaking the ice, Matt begins to accept the man’s presence— But when the runner doesn’t show up one day, it throws Matt’s world into chaos and he must make the hardest decision of his life.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2017
19 people are currently reading
274 people want to read
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July 4, 2017
There were certain aspects of this story that I enjoyed, but as a whole, I found it to be just an okay read.
Initially, I had a problem with a few details of the book.
First, the level of severe PTSD seemed a bit extreme for the attack, as described in the book. This is only *my* opinion and I realize that people would act differently to different types of assaults, so that was only *my* impression given the description of the 16 y.o. in the book before the attack and the events that transpired on page. I admit I could very well be wrong, but I am allowed my own *impressions*, so please put the flaming torches and pointy pitchforks away, thanks.
Second, the fact that the mother allowed her 16 y.o. kid to dictate his own treatment, which basically translated into *no treatment* at all, as soon as the therapist asked *one* time if Matt wanted to talk about the incident and he fled. No more sessions, no talk of even anxiety medications, he was just DONE. Which went relatively uncontested.
Sorry, but allowing your child to become a terrified recluse at 16 is not acceptable. Ever. Even if it's against their will, it's your responsibility to get them every ounce of help they need to heal, especially if you have a $3M settlement to help pay for treatment. That's WHY it was awarded.
Once I put those two aspects of the story (finally) behind me, the part of the story where Charlie worms his way into Matt's regimented, necessary, daily routine was extremely cute and was definitely my favorite part of the story.
However, as the story progressed and they got more serious, I found the story to be a bit too saccharine sweet for my tastes.
Charlie was a bit too perfect and I really could have done without the whole parts at the end.
I do give points that there was no Magical Penis of Mental Wellness , pardon the pun, injected into this story, though. That would have put me on a tirade for sure.
The book did contain a bit of steam, with Charlie helping Matt overcome, at least to an extent, his fear of being touched. Those parts were well-written and handled well.
I'd have to rate this story at around 3.25 stars and would consider reading other books by this author, just not his BDSM-themed series. #NotMyThang ;- )
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July 31, 20174.5 Hearts
Tag Team Review with Lost in a Book
It’s hard not to review this book and reflect on it personally as so much of it hit me personally.
Let me try though, okay?
Matt Bowers was your average sixteen year old boy in love with his yellow car and crushing on boys when an adult took advantage of him sexually. From there, Matt’s OCD begins to service with cleaning and keeping things he can control in order. Though his mother tried to get him help, it wasn’t enough and Matt wasn’t cooperating enough so he gave in and gave up. When his settlement money from the incident was available at age 18, he bought some property away from the town to live alone.
I get Matt in a lot of ways. I know exactly when and what caused my OCD to surface and mine started with just my room to the rest of the house as well. Cleaning walls with an ammonia solution and tiled floors on my hands and knees with rags while making sure the china cabinet and all valuables in it shined as if the Queen were coming for tea. Books were arranged by author last name, then chronological release unless they were in a series than series trumped dates. All spices, canned goods and boxes were ordered alphabetically with labels facing forward. It was time consuming and yet calming for me to keep things in order. While I have been able to recognize what is my OCD rituals and how to let some of them go, when life gets stressful and other issues like anxiety, panic attacks or depression decide they want to play… my OCD gets ridiculously worse and I have to put what I can in order no matter how long it takes.
I am also an introvert in the classic sense and if you are familiar with the Myers Briggs test, I am an INTJ. Put all of that together with my mental health and let me tell you on a deep level I got Matt. The thing that drew me to this book was the blurb; of Matt living alone secluded on a property but seeing a runner… because while I have a few *cough* issues, running is my salvation, and how this new intruder gets to be part of Matt’s life.
There are a few things in this book that I can see not working for the majority of readers but for me, they worked because I have first-hand experience with them. Someone close to me was in a terrible accident when they were 16 and that accident resulted in a death. This person, they BS’d their way out of therapy and both sets of parents did nothing to ensure they were okay. School’s pushed them through their senior year and a downward spiral of addiction began to drag this person down. To this day with almost 26 years since the accident, they are still pretty messed up in ways that differ from Matt because this person has become addicted to alcohol and Matt has become addicted to keeping himself safe with his OCD and isolation. But as they say, same shit – different story, right?
Anyway, between that and my own issues with OCD, I got Matt and for me the romance and his entire story made sense.
So, Matt has been living on his property for the last 13 years alone, maintaining his schedule that keeps him grounded when a stranger runs by his property one day and then every day like clockwork at 10:30am. As this daily run occurs, this runner becomes part of Matt’s routine. Matt isn’t all that comfortable with the runner but he’s intrigued and after the man waves a few times, Matt even waves back though it doesn’t stop him from calling and complaining to his brother Clay who is also the town Sheriff. Matt just wants the man to go away so he can continue with his life as it was but once the disruption of schedule happens, the runner becomes part of Matt’s schedule. When Matt is tasked by his brother to get the man’s name so he can ask the man to change his route, we see baby steps and growth in Matt.
Goodness but when Clay asked Matt to get the man’s name I felt my own anxiety heighten because the guy is a stranger and what if he wanted to engage in small talk? But Matt is brave and walks to his fence but after a few words, Matt has a panic attack and things go south.
The panic attack leads Matt to make a brave call one night asking for help from his brother who also brings the runner who we now know is named Charlie. I have to say that I adore both Clay and Charlie though at times I wanted to flick them on the nose HARD! I get what Clay and his mother did because they want Matt back who has ostracized himself from his family to stay sane but it was dirty. I am thankful Charlie is the man he is and always comes back to make sure Matt understands the situation and that things are okay.
Through events that push Matt out of his comfort zone and push him toward making decision that promotes a growth within; Matt and Charlie not only develop a friendship but begin a romance.
Yeah, insta love happens in this book but I bought it and reveled in it. They say love is a powerful thing and can change a person. I mean, isn’t that why we read romance, why folks write it and songs are sung about it? We are in love with the idea that love can change someone, can make someone a better person but as a famous song said, sometimes love just ain’t enough and that’s where free will comes in. Matt chose to live alone, isolated from his family because that choice was what made sense to him and his safety but once Charlie arrives, the world Matt has known changes color and he wants more. So yup. I fell for the insta-love and how all of it goes down, even the talks about Charlie’s ex because it was a reassurance to a sometimes doubting Matt.
*shrugs*
I won’t go into much of the book because I am sure others will, I really just want to say that I found the story lovely and respectful. When you have someone who has mental health issues it does take someone who is half way to perfect to deal with them and love them through it all. Lord knows I put my husband and children through enough with my OCD that they are heartbroken when they can’t do things for me like make me a meal because I wouldn’t be able to eat it for OCD reasons. They get worried when I wear myself down cleaning or cooking and doing things to soothe my OCD but they know there is no way to help because even if they tried, I would have to do it again to be grounded. It’s not easy to live and love me, but I am thankful my family gets me FOR me and I am thankful that Charlie gets all of who Matt truly is.
Runner for me was a book about a young man who was so traumatized that his own brain turned against him and isolated him from love and life. It was only through the measured steps and breaths of a runner that Matt begins to heal, grow and find his own path to happiness.
Tag Team Review with Lost in a Book
It’s hard not to review this book and reflect on it personally as so much of it hit me personally.
Let me try though, okay?
Matt Bowers was your average sixteen year old boy in love with his yellow car and crushing on boys when an adult took advantage of him sexually. From there, Matt’s OCD begins to service with cleaning and keeping things he can control in order. Though his mother tried to get him help, it wasn’t enough and Matt wasn’t cooperating enough so he gave in and gave up. When his settlement money from the incident was available at age 18, he bought some property away from the town to live alone.
I get Matt in a lot of ways. I know exactly when and what caused my OCD to surface and mine started with just my room to the rest of the house as well. Cleaning walls with an ammonia solution and tiled floors on my hands and knees with rags while making sure the china cabinet and all valuables in it shined as if the Queen were coming for tea. Books were arranged by author last name, then chronological release unless they were in a series than series trumped dates. All spices, canned goods and boxes were ordered alphabetically with labels facing forward. It was time consuming and yet calming for me to keep things in order. While I have been able to recognize what is my OCD rituals and how to let some of them go, when life gets stressful and other issues like anxiety, panic attacks or depression decide they want to play… my OCD gets ridiculously worse and I have to put what I can in order no matter how long it takes.
I am also an introvert in the classic sense and if you are familiar with the Myers Briggs test, I am an INTJ. Put all of that together with my mental health and let me tell you on a deep level I got Matt. The thing that drew me to this book was the blurb; of Matt living alone secluded on a property but seeing a runner… because while I have a few *cough* issues, running is my salvation, and how this new intruder gets to be part of Matt’s life.
There are a few things in this book that I can see not working for the majority of readers but for me, they worked because I have first-hand experience with them. Someone close to me was in a terrible accident when they were 16 and that accident resulted in a death. This person, they BS’d their way out of therapy and both sets of parents did nothing to ensure they were okay. School’s pushed them through their senior year and a downward spiral of addiction began to drag this person down. To this day with almost 26 years since the accident, they are still pretty messed up in ways that differ from Matt because this person has become addicted to alcohol and Matt has become addicted to keeping himself safe with his OCD and isolation. But as they say, same shit – different story, right?
Anyway, between that and my own issues with OCD, I got Matt and for me the romance and his entire story made sense.
So, Matt has been living on his property for the last 13 years alone, maintaining his schedule that keeps him grounded when a stranger runs by his property one day and then every day like clockwork at 10:30am. As this daily run occurs, this runner becomes part of Matt’s routine. Matt isn’t all that comfortable with the runner but he’s intrigued and after the man waves a few times, Matt even waves back though it doesn’t stop him from calling and complaining to his brother Clay who is also the town Sheriff. Matt just wants the man to go away so he can continue with his life as it was but once the disruption of schedule happens, the runner becomes part of Matt’s schedule. When Matt is tasked by his brother to get the man’s name so he can ask the man to change his route, we see baby steps and growth in Matt.
Goodness but when Clay asked Matt to get the man’s name I felt my own anxiety heighten because the guy is a stranger and what if he wanted to engage in small talk? But Matt is brave and walks to his fence but after a few words, Matt has a panic attack and things go south.
The panic attack leads Matt to make a brave call one night asking for help from his brother who also brings the runner who we now know is named Charlie. I have to say that I adore both Clay and Charlie though at times I wanted to flick them on the nose HARD! I get what Clay and his mother did because they want Matt back who has ostracized himself from his family to stay sane but it was dirty. I am thankful Charlie is the man he is and always comes back to make sure Matt understands the situation and that things are okay.
Through events that push Matt out of his comfort zone and push him toward making decision that promotes a growth within; Matt and Charlie not only develop a friendship but begin a romance.
Yeah, insta love happens in this book but I bought it and reveled in it. They say love is a powerful thing and can change a person. I mean, isn’t that why we read romance, why folks write it and songs are sung about it? We are in love with the idea that love can change someone, can make someone a better person but as a famous song said, sometimes love just ain’t enough and that’s where free will comes in. Matt chose to live alone, isolated from his family because that choice was what made sense to him and his safety but once Charlie arrives, the world Matt has known changes color and he wants more. So yup. I fell for the insta-love and how all of it goes down, even the talks about Charlie’s ex because it was a reassurance to a sometimes doubting Matt.
*shrugs*
I won’t go into much of the book because I am sure others will, I really just want to say that I found the story lovely and respectful. When you have someone who has mental health issues it does take someone who is half way to perfect to deal with them and love them through it all. Lord knows I put my husband and children through enough with my OCD that they are heartbroken when they can’t do things for me like make me a meal because I wouldn’t be able to eat it for OCD reasons. They get worried when I wear myself down cleaning or cooking and doing things to soothe my OCD but they know there is no way to help because even if they tried, I would have to do it again to be grounded. It’s not easy to live and love me, but I am thankful my family gets me FOR me and I am thankful that Charlie gets all of who Matt truly is.
Runner for me was a book about a young man who was so traumatized that his own brain turned against him and isolated him from love and life. It was only through the measured steps and breaths of a runner that Matt begins to heal, grow and find his own path to happiness.
January 28, 2020
After an attack when he was sixteen, Matt suffers from OCD and PTSD and has basically been a recluse ever since, living alone in a house in the remote Maine countryside. Matt has shut himself away from his family:
At the start of this story, I wanted to become invested in Matt's recovery and wanted to see Charlie and Matt's relationship develop and grow, but this book just did not work for me. Beyond numerous details of Matt's OCD, there is little character development of Matt or Charlie, with Charlie (a fairly successful author) serving mostly as a besotted cheerleader and in terms of emotional development, Matt is stuck at sixteen. I would have liked Charlie's or Clay's POV to balance the story.
But my larger issue is the way in which Matt's OCD is handled. From what I've read about OCD, friends and family are ask to not reinforce a person's OCD by participating in OCD rituals and compulsions, and should try to remind them about other people's needs as well as their own. Yet Charlie tells Matt "There is nowhere in the world I’ve been that is better than where we are right now. I could live here with you happily for the rest of my life. We don’t need to change a thing" and continues with:
2 stars for Runner and I just cannot recommend this book.
I received an ARC from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
As much as I loved Mom and Clay, they were no longer part of my world, and having them in my house would require me to put things back to rights after they were gone. In essence, I’d be excising them from my life each time, and I couldn’t handle that. Easier to just not let them visit.Matt spends his day in compulsive routines of cleaning, planting, reading, cooking, etc. until a handsome runner on the road outside his house disrupts Matt's careful routines. Matt's calls to the local sheriff (Matt's younger brother Clay) are unsuccessful in making the runner go away and Clay finally tells Matt that he must talk to the runner and learn his name before Clay will consider talking to the runner. Matt and the runner, Charlie, slowly begin a relationship of sorts which moves from Matt screaming in terror as Charlie knocks on the door to them having lemonade on the front porch.
At the start of this story, I wanted to become invested in Matt's recovery and wanted to see Charlie and Matt's relationship develop and grow, but this book just did not work for me. Beyond numerous details of Matt's OCD, there is little character development of Matt or Charlie, with Charlie (a fairly successful author) serving mostly as a besotted cheerleader and in terms of emotional development, Matt is stuck at sixteen. I would have liked Charlie's or Clay's POV to balance the story.
But my larger issue is the way in which Matt's OCD is handled. From what I've read about OCD, friends and family are ask to not reinforce a person's OCD by participating in OCD rituals and compulsions, and should try to remind them about other people's needs as well as their own. Yet Charlie tells Matt "There is nowhere in the world I’ve been that is better than where we are right now. I could live here with you happily for the rest of my life. We don’t need to change a thing" and continues with:
I explained to him [Clay] what you meant to me. What being here with you did for me. And I told him there is nothing wrong with you. If you’re happy, how can it be wrong? I said maybe it wasn’t you who needed to change, but him and your mother.Now this is solely my opinion, but Matt has virtually a been a recluse since he was 16, refused to continue therapy beyond three months when his therapist suggested talking about what happened, refused medication and has taken his large court reward and built a secluded house. Once he's over 18, sure, he has control of his life, but it bothered me that he received no court-ordered treatment of any kind at a stage where it might have been the most effective.
2 stars for Runner and I just cannot recommend this book.
I received an ARC from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
September 10, 2019
Ho dovuto pensarci un po' dopo la fine del libro se fare una modifica alla recensione e al voto.
Quello che ho detto su Matt rimane tale e quale. Matt fa progressi capitolo dopo capitolo. Ha i suoi momenti cui mi fa girare e me lo rende insopportabile ma è la sua PTSD o Disturbo Post Traumatico da Stess. Avevo detto che avrebbe influito sul voto. Ovviamente non ne conosco così tanto da dire se è esagerato o meno. Su wikipedia ci sarà di certo ma non mi va di cercare e leggerlo.
Quello che mi ha fatto pensare per un po' di giorni se abbassare o meno il voto è Charlie.
*QUI POTREBBE CONTENERE SPOILER. LEGGERE A RISCHIO E PERICOLO*
Charlie un giorno non si presenta alla solita ora a correre. Poi scopriamo che ha avuto un incidente dove si è rotto una gamba, una mano mi pare, e le costole. Tralasciamo su tutta la parte in cui Matt va in ospedale e poi decide di ospitarlo a casa sua. Arriviamo a quando scopre del complotto tra Charlie e il fratello Clay. Quando gli dice di andare via ad entrambi. Ora facciamo un altro leggero salto in avanti. Quello in cui Charlie torna da Matt guidando con la gamba ingessata, la mano e le costole su per la strada poi dove ha avuto l'incidente. Ma a voi pare reale? Ora parliamo dei giorni seguenti passati con Matt nella baita/casetta di quest'ultimo in culo ai lupi. Non vi pare che Charlie cammini un po' troppo con quel gesso. L'uso di una stampella viene menzionato molto più avanti. E già dico che di solito sono due per aver visto alcuni compagni con la zampa rotta. Una sola perchè ha una mano rotta? Allora dovrebbe riposarsi a letto visto che ha le costole rotte. (Non menzionare poi che è caduto pure sulla gamba rotta) Anche qui mi pare giri un po' troppo per avere quella parte ingessata. Non ricordo se viene menzionato subito ma di sicuro Matt lo dice nella sua riflessione quando invita Clay a casa sua per parlare e sono sul divano. Mi pare veramente troppo esagerato.
Sottolineo anche questa parte. Se Matt si siede sul bracciolo, Charlie sul divano e Clay va ad abbracciare Matt. Come fa Charlie a date pacche sulla schiena di Clay, che per logica il bracciolo è anche di poco più alto del divano e Charlie è ingessato, con tanta facilità. Dovrebbe avere il busto rigido.
Quello che ho detto su Matt rimane tale e quale. Matt fa progressi capitolo dopo capitolo. Ha i suoi momenti cui mi fa girare e me lo rende insopportabile ma è la sua PTSD o Disturbo Post Traumatico da Stess. Avevo detto che avrebbe influito sul voto. Ovviamente non ne conosco così tanto da dire se è esagerato o meno. Su wikipedia ci sarà di certo ma non mi va di cercare e leggerlo.
Quello che mi ha fatto pensare per un po' di giorni se abbassare o meno il voto è Charlie.
*QUI POTREBBE CONTENERE SPOILER. LEGGERE A RISCHIO E PERICOLO*
Charlie un giorno non si presenta alla solita ora a correre. Poi scopriamo che ha avuto un incidente dove si è rotto una gamba, una mano mi pare, e le costole. Tralasciamo su tutta la parte in cui Matt va in ospedale e poi decide di ospitarlo a casa sua. Arriviamo a quando scopre del complotto tra Charlie e il fratello Clay. Quando gli dice di andare via ad entrambi. Ora facciamo un altro leggero salto in avanti. Quello in cui Charlie torna da Matt guidando con la gamba ingessata, la mano e le costole su per la strada poi dove ha avuto l'incidente. Ma a voi pare reale? Ora parliamo dei giorni seguenti passati con Matt nella baita/casetta di quest'ultimo in culo ai lupi. Non vi pare che Charlie cammini un po' troppo con quel gesso. L'uso di una stampella viene menzionato molto più avanti. E già dico che di solito sono due per aver visto alcuni compagni con la zampa rotta. Una sola perchè ha una mano rotta? Allora dovrebbe riposarsi a letto visto che ha le costole rotte. (Non menzionare poi che è caduto pure sulla gamba rotta) Anche qui mi pare giri un po' troppo per avere quella parte ingessata. Non ricordo se viene menzionato subito ma di sicuro Matt lo dice nella sua riflessione quando invita Clay a casa sua per parlare e sono sul divano. Mi pare veramente troppo esagerato.
Sottolineo anche questa parte. Se Matt si siede sul bracciolo, Charlie sul divano e Clay va ad abbracciare Matt. Come fa Charlie a date pacche sulla schiena di Clay, che per logica il bracciolo è anche di poco più alto del divano e Charlie è ingessato, con tanta facilità. Dovrebbe avere il busto rigido.
July 6, 2017
This book is charming, delightful, and so sincere it left me dazed after I read it.
Matt Bowers encapsulates a set microcosm of emotions: Anxiety, terror, fear and stubborness. OCD and PTSD aren't easy things to live with, and the way Matt evolves and manages his life are unique. I FELT the fear he experienced--I LIVED the resolution to remain alone and safe. And I felt along with him the jarring arrival of the Runner, Charlie. Day by day, moment by moment, Charlie worked his way into Matt's life and into my heart. And Matt's, too.
I am a sexual assault survivor. No matter the depths of the original trauma, or what did or did not happen in the originating occurrence, such violence, and violation of self, leaves marks on everyone differently. What happened to Matt that sent him into willing exile could happen to anyone, and does happen, to countless people every day. How it affected him in the book is a perfectly reasonable reaction, to me. The way his mind reacted to the trauma is different from how I would have reacted, but then how I reacted to my own traumatic experience is going to be different from other sexual assault survivors. How he feels through the book, from beginning to end, resonates with me in such a realistic way. I wish I had my own Charlie.
Charlie is an angel. He has his flaws, but he is one of the most grounded, charming, and kind-hearted characters I have ever come across in gay romance. This books sailed effortlessly to the top of my favorites list because of how Charlie coaxed and loved and supported Matt so selflessly. I love his quirks, and his profession isn't one we see often in fiction. (He is a gay fiction author IN a gay romance novel, and I LOVE that.)
I give this book 5 stars for the hope it gave me. Love is hope. Hope is love. And both let us live.
Matt Bowers encapsulates a set microcosm of emotions: Anxiety, terror, fear and stubborness. OCD and PTSD aren't easy things to live with, and the way Matt evolves and manages his life are unique. I FELT the fear he experienced--I LIVED the resolution to remain alone and safe. And I felt along with him the jarring arrival of the Runner, Charlie. Day by day, moment by moment, Charlie worked his way into Matt's life and into my heart. And Matt's, too.
I am a sexual assault survivor. No matter the depths of the original trauma, or what did or did not happen in the originating occurrence, such violence, and violation of self, leaves marks on everyone differently. What happened to Matt that sent him into willing exile could happen to anyone, and does happen, to countless people every day. How it affected him in the book is a perfectly reasonable reaction, to me. The way his mind reacted to the trauma is different from how I would have reacted, but then how I reacted to my own traumatic experience is going to be different from other sexual assault survivors. How he feels through the book, from beginning to end, resonates with me in such a realistic way. I wish I had my own Charlie.
Charlie is an angel. He has his flaws, but he is one of the most grounded, charming, and kind-hearted characters I have ever come across in gay romance. This books sailed effortlessly to the top of my favorites list because of how Charlie coaxed and loved and supported Matt so selflessly. I love his quirks, and his profession isn't one we see often in fiction. (He is a gay fiction author IN a gay romance novel, and I LOVE that.)
I give this book 5 stars for the hope it gave me. Love is hope. Hope is love. And both let us live.
July 26, 2017
5/5 - Wow, this book was really good. Prior to reading Runner I'd only ever read Parker Williams' collaboration works with K.C. Wells, but I've obviously been missing out. Runner takes hurt/comfort to another level.
Matt had very severe PTSD, to the point that everything in his life was a routine and he didn't want any other people around him because he wasn't able to predict what they were going to do. He let his fears take over his life and control him so much that he was completely miserable, but unwilling to do anything about it because he believed that he couldn't.
When Charlie started going on runs down his road, Matt's bubble fell apart. All of a sudden there was this other human being who was coming into his space without asking and disrupting the flow of his day, and that wasn't okay. Until it was. Charlie ran down his road at the same time every day. He quickly became a part of Matt's bubble and Matt started to depend on him being there like clockwork.
I loved the relationship that these two had because it wasn't perfect and neither of them tried to pretend it was. Charlie just accepted Matt for everything he was and while he wished Matt wasn't so afraid, he was willing to take the back seat and let Matt figure it out for himself. This was a story about love and acceptance in the face of your biggest fears.
I adored this book and I'm a little excited to have finally read one of Parker Williams' solo novels. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves that slow burn kind of romance.
Reviewed by Jordan at Alpha Book Club.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.
Matt had very severe PTSD, to the point that everything in his life was a routine and he didn't want any other people around him because he wasn't able to predict what they were going to do. He let his fears take over his life and control him so much that he was completely miserable, but unwilling to do anything about it because he believed that he couldn't.
When Charlie started going on runs down his road, Matt's bubble fell apart. All of a sudden there was this other human being who was coming into his space without asking and disrupting the flow of his day, and that wasn't okay. Until it was. Charlie ran down his road at the same time every day. He quickly became a part of Matt's bubble and Matt started to depend on him being there like clockwork.
I loved the relationship that these two had because it wasn't perfect and neither of them tried to pretend it was. Charlie just accepted Matt for everything he was and while he wished Matt wasn't so afraid, he was willing to take the back seat and let Matt figure it out for himself. This was a story about love and acceptance in the face of your biggest fears.
I adored this book and I'm a little excited to have finally read one of Parker Williams' solo novels. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves that slow burn kind of romance.
Reviewed by Jordan at Alpha Book Club.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are my own and not influenced by the author or the publisher in any way.
February 13, 2018
Well this is a bit of a quandary...
I actually finished listening to this one a couple of days ago and I've been pondering it every since...you see while I did really enjoy the story in general there were a couple of things that have niggled at my brain every since so I'm just going to share my niggles and my thoughts on why I really enjoyed this one and leave you to make your own decisions...
First on my 'niggle' list is Matthew's mother. I definitely liked that when Matthew was attacked when he needed to be believed about what had happened to him, she was there for him without hesitation. She stuck up for him, made the sheriff take action. I loved this. This is what a parent should be willing to do for their child. But then as time passed and Matt was unable to deal with the trauma on his own things become a little more complex...so, get comfy because it's going to take me a bit to explain my thoughts and feelings on what happened.
As parents we try really had to be there for our kids and no parent ever wants to fail their kids...at least I know I don't but as people we're not perfect and sometimes it happens. Matt needed help that becomes abundantly clear to the reader and while his mother got him to see a therapist it was getting him to continue with therapy where she failed and to a point I get that because like it or not you can't help someone unless they want help and are willing to accept it. Sadly Matt was not...does this mean that his mother should have done what she did, which was to essentially say 'Oh well.' and give up...no. To me it meant that plan 'A' failed and it was time to move on to plan 'B' and if need be then plan 'C'. So I was more than a little frustrated and disappointed that Matt's mom really didn't seem to have or attempt to come up with other options. So essentially on one hand I saw Matt's mom as awesome loving and supportive and then she wasn't.
Ok, my next niggle was Matt's settlement from the school board. I was a little confused by the fact the full sum was placed into trust for Matt and not accessible to him or anyone until he reached the age of 18? Really, I realize that this story is set in a different geographical area than what I live in and laws do vary from place to place but there can also be similarities as well and I know where I'm from when a financial settlement is handed down by the courts it's also accompanied by an explanation of how the amount was arrived at and what percentage was allocated for what reasons. For example there with Matt's case there should have been ?% for general pain & suffering, ?% for medical treatments (things like a therapist) would fall under this amount, etc. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a lawyer or any kind of legal expert. I'm just working with a limited knowledge of the law, some curiosity and a bit of common sense. So this is all conjecture and maybe a bit more attention needed to be given to this aspect of the story...not that I wanted a big long boring explanation here, trust me, I didn't. Ok, I could go on about this even more but let's just suffice it to say this didn't quite work for me.
Now, what I really want to do is to discuss why I liked this story so much. In spite of the fact that the events that caused Matt's PTSD and proved to be the catalyst for his OCD quite honestly seemed to be disproportionate to his response, however, as we all know no two people will necessarily react the same way to the same thing. I'm not meaning to trivialize what happened to Matt, not by a long shot. I think that for Matt it was a combination of the actual event, not receiving professional treatment to help him deal with it...which yes, this is partially a failing of his mom's but like it or not as I said you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped and Matt made up his mind that he could deal with this on his own and like many others who have read this story I have to question how much of this decision was due to lack of professional intervention and how much of it was simply inevitable.
Ultimately I came to the conclusion that like so many things what's done is done and there's no undoing it...Matt was assaulted and his mother's persistence in getting him the proper help to deal with it fell short of what was needed...so if you can't be a good example than you might as well be a horrible warning and this is what she ended up being...a warning that when all else in the world fails our children as parents we cannot, we may stumble or even fall but we owe it to our children to pick ourselves up and jump back into the fray...we are their last defense in what can sometimes be a cruel and unkind world...unless that world has seen to give us a brother an really, really awesome brother...someone like Clay, I loved Clay not because he always did the right thing but because the things he did were done out of love for his brother...sometimes it's not the action but the actual intent that's truly important and thankfully Matt could see this too. not that he never got mad about some of the things that Clay did and I have to admit I don't blame him but knowing that something was done out of love makes it easier to find it in your heart to forgive a person.
I liked Matt and Charlie. Charlie for me seemed like the perfect match. He was kind, patient, confident and at the same time soft spoken and non-threatening. The kind of person that Matt needed. Their relationship was a bit unconventional in how it developed with much of it being done through the silent communication of Matt watching Charlie as he jogged down his road and slowly integrated himself into Matt's daily routine. While Charlie didn't actively encourage Matt to leave his home neither did he discourage it. He wanted Matt to be comfortable and feel safe and secure in his surroundings and to be honest I think Charlie liked and was comfortable with the idea of living out in country somewhere that was 'off the beaten path' so to speak. It's a thing people actually do this by choice so I had no issue with the fact that Charlie liked the idea of country life or even that Matt chose to live there. In Matt's case the concern wasn't where he chose to live but why.
Ok, one last thing before this review starts to compete with the book for length and that's a word about the narrator...Patrick Zeller. This is a new to me narrator, so obviously I haven't listened to any other books by them but so I'm obviously speaking about their performance on this book specifically and really the only thing I can say is that for me Patrick Zeller nailed this one with total perfection. I absolutely loved the soft quality of the narrators voice and in spite of how heartbreaking this story could be at times the narrator's voice held such a soft and comforting quality that drew the listener into the story and left me feeling like if I just stayed with it to the end everything would be ok.
'Runner' is one of those few stories where I have to wonder if I would have enjoyed reading it nearly as much as I enjoyed listening to the audio book but I don't really think it matters because what really matters to the most is that I enjoyed the story and there will probably be a replay in this stories future.
*************************
An audio book of 'Runner' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I actually finished listening to this one a couple of days ago and I've been pondering it every since...you see while I did really enjoy the story in general there were a couple of things that have niggled at my brain every since so I'm just going to share my niggles and my thoughts on why I really enjoyed this one and leave you to make your own decisions...
First on my 'niggle' list is Matthew's mother. I definitely liked that when Matthew was attacked when he needed to be believed about what had happened to him, she was there for him without hesitation. She stuck up for him, made the sheriff take action. I loved this. This is what a parent should be willing to do for their child. But then as time passed and Matt was unable to deal with the trauma on his own things become a little more complex...so, get comfy because it's going to take me a bit to explain my thoughts and feelings on what happened.
As parents we try really had to be there for our kids and no parent ever wants to fail their kids...at least I know I don't but as people we're not perfect and sometimes it happens. Matt needed help that becomes abundantly clear to the reader and while his mother got him to see a therapist it was getting him to continue with therapy where she failed and to a point I get that because like it or not you can't help someone unless they want help and are willing to accept it. Sadly Matt was not...does this mean that his mother should have done what she did, which was to essentially say 'Oh well.' and give up...no. To me it meant that plan 'A' failed and it was time to move on to plan 'B' and if need be then plan 'C'. So I was more than a little frustrated and disappointed that Matt's mom really didn't seem to have or attempt to come up with other options. So essentially on one hand I saw Matt's mom as awesome loving and supportive and then she wasn't.
Ok, my next niggle was Matt's settlement from the school board. I was a little confused by the fact the full sum was placed into trust for Matt and not accessible to him or anyone until he reached the age of 18? Really, I realize that this story is set in a different geographical area than what I live in and laws do vary from place to place but there can also be similarities as well and I know where I'm from when a financial settlement is handed down by the courts it's also accompanied by an explanation of how the amount was arrived at and what percentage was allocated for what reasons. For example there with Matt's case there should have been ?% for general pain & suffering, ?% for medical treatments (things like a therapist) would fall under this amount, etc. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a lawyer or any kind of legal expert. I'm just working with a limited knowledge of the law, some curiosity and a bit of common sense. So this is all conjecture and maybe a bit more attention needed to be given to this aspect of the story...not that I wanted a big long boring explanation here, trust me, I didn't. Ok, I could go on about this even more but let's just suffice it to say this didn't quite work for me.
Now, what I really want to do is to discuss why I liked this story so much. In spite of the fact that the events that caused Matt's PTSD and proved to be the catalyst for his OCD quite honestly seemed to be disproportionate to his response, however, as we all know no two people will necessarily react the same way to the same thing. I'm not meaning to trivialize what happened to Matt, not by a long shot. I think that for Matt it was a combination of the actual event, not receiving professional treatment to help him deal with it...which yes, this is partially a failing of his mom's but like it or not as I said you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped and Matt made up his mind that he could deal with this on his own and like many others who have read this story I have to question how much of this decision was due to lack of professional intervention and how much of it was simply inevitable.
Ultimately I came to the conclusion that like so many things what's done is done and there's no undoing it...Matt was assaulted and his mother's persistence in getting him the proper help to deal with it fell short of what was needed...so if you can't be a good example than you might as well be a horrible warning and this is what she ended up being...a warning that when all else in the world fails our children as parents we cannot, we may stumble or even fall but we owe it to our children to pick ourselves up and jump back into the fray...we are their last defense in what can sometimes be a cruel and unkind world...unless that world has seen to give us a brother an really, really awesome brother...someone like Clay, I loved Clay not because he always did the right thing but because the things he did were done out of love for his brother...sometimes it's not the action but the actual intent that's truly important and thankfully Matt could see this too. not that he never got mad about some of the things that Clay did and I have to admit I don't blame him but knowing that something was done out of love makes it easier to find it in your heart to forgive a person.
I liked Matt and Charlie. Charlie for me seemed like the perfect match. He was kind, patient, confident and at the same time soft spoken and non-threatening. The kind of person that Matt needed. Their relationship was a bit unconventional in how it developed with much of it being done through the silent communication of Matt watching Charlie as he jogged down his road and slowly integrated himself into Matt's daily routine. While Charlie didn't actively encourage Matt to leave his home neither did he discourage it. He wanted Matt to be comfortable and feel safe and secure in his surroundings and to be honest I think Charlie liked and was comfortable with the idea of living out in country somewhere that was 'off the beaten path' so to speak. It's a thing people actually do this by choice so I had no issue with the fact that Charlie liked the idea of country life or even that Matt chose to live there. In Matt's case the concern wasn't where he chose to live but why.
Ok, one last thing before this review starts to compete with the book for length and that's a word about the narrator...Patrick Zeller. This is a new to me narrator, so obviously I haven't listened to any other books by them but so I'm obviously speaking about their performance on this book specifically and really the only thing I can say is that for me Patrick Zeller nailed this one with total perfection. I absolutely loved the soft quality of the narrators voice and in spite of how heartbreaking this story could be at times the narrator's voice held such a soft and comforting quality that drew the listener into the story and left me feeling like if I just stayed with it to the end everything would be ok.
'Runner' is one of those few stories where I have to wonder if I would have enjoyed reading it nearly as much as I enjoyed listening to the audio book but I don't really think it matters because what really matters to the most is that I enjoyed the story and there will probably be a replay in this stories future.
*************************
An audio book of 'Runner' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2017
-2.5-
Parker Williams is a good author. I have enjoyed his work in the past, and I'd definitely try another book written by him in the future. However, Runner was mostly a miss with me. Maybe I expected something else, but while the premise was interesting, the execution didn't quite work.
I did like the writing a lot and I think that the author did a good job describing Matt's struggles, living with anxiety and PTSD. I also appreciated the description of Matt's home. This is important to the story and Williams described the setting pretty vividly, making it interesting without boring the reader with unnecessary details. And thankfuly, there was no magic dick to cure Matt's issues.
My biggest issue was that it seemed to me that Matt and Charlie's love came out of the left field. The build up was next to zero. One minute they were trying to overcome Matt's problems, the other they were in love. Also, I don't get why they had to keep trashing Mitch, Charlie's ex. Granted, he was a douchebag, but they kept bringing him up for no reason, comparing everything to him. Even sex.
Matt's mom was getting on my last nerve. She failed him big time when he was a teenager, during the two years that followed the big incident. I really didn't buy her involvement towards the end. Even when she reunited with her son, their relationship always felt cold and awkward to me.
I never managed to connect with Charlie's character and missing his POV didn't help. He was too perfect, and the dialogue with Matt was too sugary sweet after a while.
All in all, this was ok but it didn't work great for me.
Parker Williams is a good author. I have enjoyed his work in the past, and I'd definitely try another book written by him in the future. However, Runner was mostly a miss with me. Maybe I expected something else, but while the premise was interesting, the execution didn't quite work.
I did like the writing a lot and I think that the author did a good job describing Matt's struggles, living with anxiety and PTSD. I also appreciated the description of Matt's home. This is important to the story and Williams described the setting pretty vividly, making it interesting without boring the reader with unnecessary details. And thankfuly, there was no magic dick to cure Matt's issues.
My biggest issue was that it seemed to me that Matt and Charlie's love came out of the left field. The build up was next to zero. One minute they were trying to overcome Matt's problems, the other they were in love. Also, I don't get why they had to keep trashing Mitch, Charlie's ex. Granted, he was a douchebag, but they kept bringing him up for no reason, comparing everything to him. Even sex.
Matt's mom was getting on my last nerve. She failed him big time when he was a teenager, during the two years that followed the big incident. I really didn't buy her involvement towards the end. Even when she reunited with her son, their relationship always felt cold and awkward to me.
I never managed to connect with Charlie's character and missing his POV didn't help. He was too perfect, and the dialogue with Matt was too sugary sweet after a while.
All in all, this was ok but it didn't work great for me.
December 31, 2017
Runner
By Parker Williams
Dreamspinner Press, 2017
Four stars
One of the classic tropes of the m/m genre is the Broken Man. I have a soft spot for this motif, since I’ve always felt that we’re all broken in some way, even if it’s not apparent to people around us. Partly this is because I’m a great believer, even in these cynical times, of the healing power of love. From the first gay romance novel I stumbled across on Amazon seven years ago, I’ve been hooked on the romantic notion that love is a magical thing. If I scroll through the hundreds of reviews I've written of hundreds of books, I can spot the authors who specialize in this Broken Man theme. One learns to know the good ones; the authors who do their homework, who have a good grasp of psychology and human behavior. These are the books worth reading in this sub-genre, because they make sense. I’m a romantic, but I’m also logical.
Matt Bowers is not the runner of this book’s title—unless he is. Nominally, it’s Charles Carver, the runner who suddenly, after a decade of isolation, begins to jog past Matt’s little fortress of solitude in rural Maine. Profoundly damaged by a shocking betrayal as a teenager, Matt has buried himself in a little world he created, every object and every daily routine ordered and placed just so. The runner is a disruption to that world, and the only coping strategy he has is to make watching the runner pass by part of his routine.
Little by little the story unfolds, and we learn the horror of what happened, and the sad estrangement it results in, leaving Matt a captive of OCD and PTSD. We also begin to see this man, who has lived all of his young adult years so far cut off from everything he used to love, as strong and independent. What he has accomplished is remarkable, but also sad. Matt’s solution to his problem is a success, so far as it goes. He has run away from his old life to build a new life, a safe life. Safe, but sad in many ways.
This is a fairy tale for the modern world. It is “Sleeping Beauty,” rescued from her dark enchantment by a prince charming who is nursing his own wounds. Williams has given us two admirable main characters, and surrounded them with a supporting cast of ordinary people who live and breath and ache with the loss that a young man’s tragedy has forced into their lives. Matt Bowers’ nightmare has become a shadow on the whole town, and Charlie’s luminous presence is the key to breaking the curse.
I like my m/m romances to be authentic and believable. I’m not adverse to fantasy, but I insist that my fantasy be grounded in truth. Parker Williams seems to be able to do that, every step of the way.
By Parker Williams
Dreamspinner Press, 2017
Four stars
One of the classic tropes of the m/m genre is the Broken Man. I have a soft spot for this motif, since I’ve always felt that we’re all broken in some way, even if it’s not apparent to people around us. Partly this is because I’m a great believer, even in these cynical times, of the healing power of love. From the first gay romance novel I stumbled across on Amazon seven years ago, I’ve been hooked on the romantic notion that love is a magical thing. If I scroll through the hundreds of reviews I've written of hundreds of books, I can spot the authors who specialize in this Broken Man theme. One learns to know the good ones; the authors who do their homework, who have a good grasp of psychology and human behavior. These are the books worth reading in this sub-genre, because they make sense. I’m a romantic, but I’m also logical.
Matt Bowers is not the runner of this book’s title—unless he is. Nominally, it’s Charles Carver, the runner who suddenly, after a decade of isolation, begins to jog past Matt’s little fortress of solitude in rural Maine. Profoundly damaged by a shocking betrayal as a teenager, Matt has buried himself in a little world he created, every object and every daily routine ordered and placed just so. The runner is a disruption to that world, and the only coping strategy he has is to make watching the runner pass by part of his routine.
Little by little the story unfolds, and we learn the horror of what happened, and the sad estrangement it results in, leaving Matt a captive of OCD and PTSD. We also begin to see this man, who has lived all of his young adult years so far cut off from everything he used to love, as strong and independent. What he has accomplished is remarkable, but also sad. Matt’s solution to his problem is a success, so far as it goes. He has run away from his old life to build a new life, a safe life. Safe, but sad in many ways.
This is a fairy tale for the modern world. It is “Sleeping Beauty,” rescued from her dark enchantment by a prince charming who is nursing his own wounds. Williams has given us two admirable main characters, and surrounded them with a supporting cast of ordinary people who live and breath and ache with the loss that a young man’s tragedy has forced into their lives. Matt Bowers’ nightmare has become a shadow on the whole town, and Charlie’s luminous presence is the key to breaking the curse.
I like my m/m romances to be authentic and believable. I’m not adverse to fantasy, but I insist that my fantasy be grounded in truth. Parker Williams seems to be able to do that, every step of the way.
Read
September 1, 2017Aquí lo dejo en el 65%, no me creo nada, y no me refiero al OCD y el PTSD de uno de los protagonistas, no opino de lo que no sé, es la relación amorosa lo que me ha parecido increible. Vamos, que me ha parecido una chorrada.
July 22, 2017
Parker Williams has written a very touching story about a young man turned recluse due to a traumatic experience at 16. His age was important in understanding some of his issues, I think. He hadn’t experienced dating or any physical intimacy as a gay man, when his desires were cruelly tainted. To me, it supported his reclusiveness and rejecting continued therapy while still a teen. Much of the slow progress he achieved seemed realistic in that respect.
The story is told entirely from Matt’s first person POV, which was fine, except it was a disservice to adequate characterization of Charlie and secondary characters. Charlie was too perfect, endlessly patient and understanding, carefully catering to all of Matt’s idiosyncrasies. I did not feel he was given real depth, as if he was simply molded to fit around Matt’s character. The lack of effort by his mother and brother to get him help, was an absence of logic I couldn’t get my head around. My other issue was the speed at which Matt modified his behavior to care for Charlie, when they’d had only one complete conversation. Charlie and Matt having little sex was logical, but the one scene near the end was too clinical and lacked intimacy.
I did enjoy the hurt/comfort theme, the slow progress of Matt’s recovery and his ultimate determination to help himself. I just took issue with some of the execution and details. Kudos for not using love as a cure-all, but allowing it to give Matt the motivation to help himself change. The last part of the book was a bit mushy but it was a nice glimpse into the future and gave the couple a solid HEA.
* An ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Jessie G Books Reviews, for the purpose of an honest review*
The story is told entirely from Matt’s first person POV, which was fine, except it was a disservice to adequate characterization of Charlie and secondary characters. Charlie was too perfect, endlessly patient and understanding, carefully catering to all of Matt’s idiosyncrasies. I did not feel he was given real depth, as if he was simply molded to fit around Matt’s character. The lack of effort by his mother and brother to get him help, was an absence of logic I couldn’t get my head around. My other issue was the speed at which Matt modified his behavior to care for Charlie, when they’d had only one complete conversation. Charlie and Matt having little sex was logical, but the one scene near the end was too clinical and lacked intimacy.
I did enjoy the hurt/comfort theme, the slow progress of Matt’s recovery and his ultimate determination to help himself. I just took issue with some of the execution and details. Kudos for not using love as a cure-all, but allowing it to give Matt the motivation to help himself change. The last part of the book was a bit mushy but it was a nice glimpse into the future and gave the couple a solid HEA.
* An ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Jessie G Books Reviews, for the purpose of an honest review*
July 28, 2017
4 stars – It doesn’t happen as much as I would like, but every so often, a romance novel will start with a premise that grabs me right away, making me curious about a character or situation so much that I can’t put the book down until my brain reminds me of something like having to work the next day. Runner, by Parker Williams, accomplished this, and though I had some issues with the book, the story’s overall sincerity kept them from becoming problematic to my enjoyment of the book as a whole.
Unlike most romances I have read, the story in Runner focuses almost entirely on only one of the two characters involved in the relationship arc. It is told from the first-person point of view of this character, Matt, who suffers from PTSD and OCD so severely that he has lived as a recluse since he reached adulthood. The tragic event in his past that resulted in his mental condition is told immediately at the story’s start. Normally, I have a rule that says if something happens in the first few chapters of a book, then it’s not something that can be considered a spoiler if I reveal it in my review. In this case, however, I will refrain from mentioning more than what the blurb says because I think it plays such a pivotal role in the setup for the entire novel.
The aftermath of the event, however, is one of the things that bothered me. Matt was only sixteen when it happened, but instead of his mother doing whatever it took to get him the help he needed in order to deal with his emotional trauma, she essentially allowed him to make his own decisions about it and watched him spiral into the depths of fearful solitude. There is no reason that she should have allowed this; she isn’t portrayed as a deadbeat or anything. In fact, she desperately wants him to get help, but she simply doesn’t. If he had been eighteen, I wouldn’t have thought twice because she could not have forced the issue. Instead, it’s the only bit of the story that felt like pretense, asking the reader to believe that this could happen because the rest of the plot falls apart without Matt being in the mental state he’s in.
Fast-forward about ten years and the story gives a good description of what Matt’s life is like, consumed by his OCD and PTSD to the point where even the appearance of a stranger running past his isolated property is enough to send him to the verge of a breakdown. Despite his attempts to keep the man from cracking the physical and mental walls keeping him alone and safe, eventually the runner, a writer named Charlie, becomes part of Matt’s daily existence to the point where the first time Charlie fails to jog by at his usual time, it’s enough to create a panic in Matt unlike any he’s felt before.
As I said before, Runner is essentially Matt’s story. Charlie plays a big role in it, but with only one notable exception, the conflict in the story is all Matt fighting with himself, struggling with and dealing with his mental condition. Charlie is a lovely character, and the process of Charlie working his way into Matt’s live and slowing worming his way through Matt’s walls is adorable. A few times during this process, though, Matt’s reactions flip-flop a little too quickly, something that felt a little inconsistent based on what Matt has been going through for the previous decade-plus. That’s another minor issue, though, as the progression of Matt and Charlie becoming friends and then falling in love flowed wonderfully. I must give big kudos to the author for not setting this up as a “magic penis” story, wherein sex with Charlie magically restores Matt’s mental health, because that would have been just yuck. In fact, one of the best parts of the book is how well Charlie handles Matt with kid gloves every step of the way, pushing without being pushy, and eventually establishing the trust necessary to build what they have into a loving and sexual relationship, and eventually getting Matt to realize that he’s tired of living with his fears.
What conflict does exist outside Matt turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. It wasn’t the conflict actually—in fact, the plot twist that is the only external conflict was something I wasn’t expecting—it was how quickly Matt moved forward from it. I can’t say much without spoiling, but my impression was that it should have lasted just a little longer in order for the emotions surrounding it to be more realistic and to keep things in line with Matt’s mental state. The biggest complaint I have about the book, though, is the fact that while I have no difficulty in being able to state why Charlie is perfect for Matt, the reverse is a complete mystery. I think this boils down to the fact that the story is so one-sided, lacking any sort of major flaw or conflict for Charlie, so I never got the impression that Charlie really needed anything, that there wasn’t anything that only Matt could give him or help him overcome. It’s that point more than anything else that kept this story from being truly remarkable instead of only enjoyable.
Despite of the handful of issues I had with Runner, some of which I couldn’t mention in this review because they would have resulted in spoilers, there was nothing that pulled me out of the story enough to keep me from enjoying it. This is my first time reading a book by Parker Williams, and if it is a good representation of the types of stories he tells, I will definitely be back for more.
The author and/or publisher generously provided me a complimentary copy of Runner in exchange for this fair and honest review.
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Unlike most romances I have read, the story in Runner focuses almost entirely on only one of the two characters involved in the relationship arc. It is told from the first-person point of view of this character, Matt, who suffers from PTSD and OCD so severely that he has lived as a recluse since he reached adulthood. The tragic event in his past that resulted in his mental condition is told immediately at the story’s start. Normally, I have a rule that says if something happens in the first few chapters of a book, then it’s not something that can be considered a spoiler if I reveal it in my review. In this case, however, I will refrain from mentioning more than what the blurb says because I think it plays such a pivotal role in the setup for the entire novel.
The aftermath of the event, however, is one of the things that bothered me. Matt was only sixteen when it happened, but instead of his mother doing whatever it took to get him the help he needed in order to deal with his emotional trauma, she essentially allowed him to make his own decisions about it and watched him spiral into the depths of fearful solitude. There is no reason that she should have allowed this; she isn’t portrayed as a deadbeat or anything. In fact, she desperately wants him to get help, but she simply doesn’t. If he had been eighteen, I wouldn’t have thought twice because she could not have forced the issue. Instead, it’s the only bit of the story that felt like pretense, asking the reader to believe that this could happen because the rest of the plot falls apart without Matt being in the mental state he’s in.
Fast-forward about ten years and the story gives a good description of what Matt’s life is like, consumed by his OCD and PTSD to the point where even the appearance of a stranger running past his isolated property is enough to send him to the verge of a breakdown. Despite his attempts to keep the man from cracking the physical and mental walls keeping him alone and safe, eventually the runner, a writer named Charlie, becomes part of Matt’s daily existence to the point where the first time Charlie fails to jog by at his usual time, it’s enough to create a panic in Matt unlike any he’s felt before.
As I said before, Runner is essentially Matt’s story. Charlie plays a big role in it, but with only one notable exception, the conflict in the story is all Matt fighting with himself, struggling with and dealing with his mental condition. Charlie is a lovely character, and the process of Charlie working his way into Matt’s live and slowing worming his way through Matt’s walls is adorable. A few times during this process, though, Matt’s reactions flip-flop a little too quickly, something that felt a little inconsistent based on what Matt has been going through for the previous decade-plus. That’s another minor issue, though, as the progression of Matt and Charlie becoming friends and then falling in love flowed wonderfully. I must give big kudos to the author for not setting this up as a “magic penis” story, wherein sex with Charlie magically restores Matt’s mental health, because that would have been just yuck. In fact, one of the best parts of the book is how well Charlie handles Matt with kid gloves every step of the way, pushing without being pushy, and eventually establishing the trust necessary to build what they have into a loving and sexual relationship, and eventually getting Matt to realize that he’s tired of living with his fears.
What conflict does exist outside Matt turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. It wasn’t the conflict actually—in fact, the plot twist that is the only external conflict was something I wasn’t expecting—it was how quickly Matt moved forward from it. I can’t say much without spoiling, but my impression was that it should have lasted just a little longer in order for the emotions surrounding it to be more realistic and to keep things in line with Matt’s mental state. The biggest complaint I have about the book, though, is the fact that while I have no difficulty in being able to state why Charlie is perfect for Matt, the reverse is a complete mystery. I think this boils down to the fact that the story is so one-sided, lacking any sort of major flaw or conflict for Charlie, so I never got the impression that Charlie really needed anything, that there wasn’t anything that only Matt could give him or help him overcome. It’s that point more than anything else that kept this story from being truly remarkable instead of only enjoyable.
Despite of the handful of issues I had with Runner, some of which I couldn’t mention in this review because they would have resulted in spoilers, there was nothing that pulled me out of the story enough to keep me from enjoying it. This is my first time reading a book by Parker Williams, and if it is a good representation of the types of stories he tells, I will definitely be back for more.
The author and/or publisher generously provided me a complimentary copy of Runner in exchange for this fair and honest review.
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August 5, 2017
Matt was traumatized as a sixteen-year-old when his teacher asked him for a ride, only to end up in a field with the man trying to sexually assault him. The teacher ended up in prison for a few years and Matt ended up with a three million dollar settlement from the school district, which he used to buy some land far outside of town, where he doesn't really have to deal with anyone at all. That suits Matt fine, because since the attack, he's been plagued with PTSD and OCD. But then someone starts jogging out on the lonely road that Matt calls home. At first Matt's angry at the man (Charlie), wondering why he won't jog elsewhere and leave him in peace. But then Charlie becomes a part of Matt's routine, and when he doesn't show up one day, Matt knows that something needs to change.
This book started out really strong for me, but I found that I liked it less and less as I kept reading further. Is it wrong that I was a bit jealous of Matt's set-up? Because if I could afford it, I would totally withdraw from society (except for maybe an internet connection) and hide out in some cabin built on twenty acres of isolated Maine land, just saying.
I did like the portrayal of Matt's OCD. I have more than a touch of that myself (mine mostly manifests through obsessive counting patterns, everything having to have its own place, mental checklists/patterns that need to be followed, not allowing people into my house because I'm afraid they will "mess everything up," and everyone's favorite - obsessive hand washing) and I thought that, at first, Matt's OCD was done well.
So most of this review was spoilery...sorry. I'd definitely try this author again, and I don't think that this book is necessarily bad, to say. I just didn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked.
This book started out really strong for me, but I found that I liked it less and less as I kept reading further. Is it wrong that I was a bit jealous of Matt's set-up? Because if I could afford it, I would totally withdraw from society (except for maybe an internet connection) and hide out in some cabin built on twenty acres of isolated Maine land, just saying.
I did like the portrayal of Matt's OCD. I have more than a touch of that myself (mine mostly manifests through obsessive counting patterns, everything having to have its own place, mental checklists/patterns that need to be followed, not allowing people into my house because I'm afraid they will "mess everything up," and everyone's favorite - obsessive hand washing) and I thought that, at first, Matt's OCD was done well.
So most of this review was spoilery...sorry. I'd definitely try this author again, and I don't think that this book is necessarily bad, to say. I just didn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked.
July 6, 2017
***3.13 stars***
Warning : Possible triggers include a brief, but graphic sexual assault scene involving a minor.
Okay, so there's this guy named Matt and at the age of sixteen something horrible happened to him. From that day forward darkness slowly started to descend upon his life. When he turned 18, he moved away to his own private 'castle' in the woods. He thought by doing this that he would not only spare himself, but his loved ones as well. Time passed and the darkness stayed; never letting up. That is until he spots a man running down his road. Little does he know that this man, Charlie, will change his life forever. In fact, he is his knight in shining armor; destined to save him from the darkness.
So, I am going to break it down to what did and didn't work for me in this story. And here we go!
Likes :
1. I liked how the author kept the story a real as possible. The fact that Charlie isn't a magical cure-all to Matt's problems is nice.
2. The fact that Matt and Charlie took the physical side of things slowly was wonderful.
3. The little twist that the author had in the story was nice and unexpected.
Dislikes :
1. Charlie seemed too perfect most of the time.
2. The relationship between Matt and Charlie, once they physically met, seemed kind of quick. IMO a lot of insta-love/feelings going on.
3. The timeline seemed a bit rushed at times, and it was hard to tell how much time had passed.
All in all, I did like the story but IMO it could have been greater than what it was. Given the subject area I did expect the story to be a bit more of an angsty/emotional read. Unfortunately, the only time I felt any bit of sadness was in Chapters Six and Seven, and I will leave it at that because I try to leave out spoilers.
However, I will say that in the end both Charlie and Matt get their HEA.
I am one of many reviewers at Gay Book Reviews and can be found here: http://gaybook.reviews/author/steph/
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Warning : Possible triggers include a brief, but graphic sexual assault scene involving a minor.
Okay, so there's this guy named Matt and at the age of sixteen something horrible happened to him. From that day forward darkness slowly started to descend upon his life. When he turned 18, he moved away to his own private 'castle' in the woods. He thought by doing this that he would not only spare himself, but his loved ones as well. Time passed and the darkness stayed; never letting up. That is until he spots a man running down his road. Little does he know that this man, Charlie, will change his life forever. In fact, he is his knight in shining armor; destined to save him from the darkness.
So, I am going to break it down to what did and didn't work for me in this story. And here we go!
Likes :
1. I liked how the author kept the story a real as possible. The fact that Charlie isn't a magical cure-all to Matt's problems is nice.
2. The fact that Matt and Charlie took the physical side of things slowly was wonderful.
3. The little twist that the author had in the story was nice and unexpected.
Dislikes :
1. Charlie seemed too perfect most of the time.
2. The relationship between Matt and Charlie, once they physically met, seemed kind of quick. IMO a lot of insta-love/feelings going on.
3. The timeline seemed a bit rushed at times, and it was hard to tell how much time had passed.
All in all, I did like the story but IMO it could have been greater than what it was. Given the subject area I did expect the story to be a bit more of an angsty/emotional read. Unfortunately, the only time I felt any bit of sadness was in Chapters Six and Seven, and I will leave it at that because I try to leave out spoilers.
However, I will say that in the end both Charlie and Matt get their HEA.
I am one of many reviewers at Gay Book Reviews and can be found here: http://gaybook.reviews/author/steph/
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 2, 2017
Matt Bower führt das Leben eines Einsiedlers. Seit Jahren lebt er außerhalb seiner Heimatstadt in seinem Haus. Kontakt hat er nur zu seinem Bruder Clay und einem hiesigen Händler, der ihn mit Lebensmitteln und Dingen des Alltags versorgt. Internet hat er keines, dafür einen genau geregelten Tagesablauf, der ihn auch immer in seinen Garten führt, wo er Gemüse und Obst zieht. Seit einem Zwischenfall in seiner Jugend zieht Matt die Isolation vor und fühlt sich nur so sicher.
Sein geregeltes Leben wird jedoch von einem Läufer gestört. Was tut der Fremde hier und wieso läuft er jeden Tag an seinem Haus vorbei. Von seinem Bruder, der auch der Sheriff der Gegend ist, hat er keine Hilfe zu erwarten. Solange der Fremde außerhalb von Matts Besitz bleibt, kann die Polizei nichts tun.
Dabei würde Charlie, der Läufer, Matt sehr gern kennenlernen. Der Autor ist fasziniert von dem scheuen Einsiedler, von dem er von dessen Bruder bereits einiges gehört hat. Schließlich gelingt die Kontaktaufnahme doch und Matt wagt sich sogar aus dem Haus. Charlie wird zu einer Konstante in seinem Leben, auch wenn er ihn weiter vorsichtig auf Distanz hält. Doch eines Tages taucht Charlie nicht auf und Matt gerät in Panik. Plötzlich stellt er sein ganzes Leben auf den Kopf und verlässt trotz seiner Ängste und Phobien das Haus!
Runner ist eine sehr intensive Geschichte. Matt leidet an Panikzuständen, PTSD und einem Ordnungswahn. Nur so hat er sein Leben irgendwie im Griff. Doch er ist auch sehr einsam. Zwar hat er die Einsamkeit gewählt, doch als Charlie in sein Leben trifft wird ihm diese Einsamkeit richtig bewusst.
Charlie ist ein sehr geduldiger und verständnisvoller Mann. Zwar erzählt Matt die Geschichte, doch Parker Williams versteht es gut auch Charlie sehr gut zu beleuchten. Der ist fast zu gut um wahr zu sein. Doch er ist nicht perfekt und bis sie sich wirklich finden, müssen Charlie und Matt Höhen und Tiefen überwinden.
Durch Matts Trauma sind körperliche Berührungen und mehr Mangelware. Doch das passt sehr gut zu dieser Geschichte und es spielt sich ja viel auf der mentalen Ebene ab. Oliver schafft es Matts Vertrauen zu gewinnen und kann seine eigenen Bedürfnisse zurückstellen. Zwar lernen sie sich auch körperlich kennen, doch dieser Aspekt der Geschichte braucht einfach Zeit und ist sehr glaubhaft beschrieben. Wer also keinen sextriefenden Actionknaller sucht, sondern eine sehr berührende Geschichte mit ein wenig Humor und viel Gefühl, darf getrost zu diesem Bruch greifen.
Sein geregeltes Leben wird jedoch von einem Läufer gestört. Was tut der Fremde hier und wieso läuft er jeden Tag an seinem Haus vorbei. Von seinem Bruder, der auch der Sheriff der Gegend ist, hat er keine Hilfe zu erwarten. Solange der Fremde außerhalb von Matts Besitz bleibt, kann die Polizei nichts tun.
Dabei würde Charlie, der Läufer, Matt sehr gern kennenlernen. Der Autor ist fasziniert von dem scheuen Einsiedler, von dem er von dessen Bruder bereits einiges gehört hat. Schließlich gelingt die Kontaktaufnahme doch und Matt wagt sich sogar aus dem Haus. Charlie wird zu einer Konstante in seinem Leben, auch wenn er ihn weiter vorsichtig auf Distanz hält. Doch eines Tages taucht Charlie nicht auf und Matt gerät in Panik. Plötzlich stellt er sein ganzes Leben auf den Kopf und verlässt trotz seiner Ängste und Phobien das Haus!
Runner ist eine sehr intensive Geschichte. Matt leidet an Panikzuständen, PTSD und einem Ordnungswahn. Nur so hat er sein Leben irgendwie im Griff. Doch er ist auch sehr einsam. Zwar hat er die Einsamkeit gewählt, doch als Charlie in sein Leben trifft wird ihm diese Einsamkeit richtig bewusst.
Charlie ist ein sehr geduldiger und verständnisvoller Mann. Zwar erzählt Matt die Geschichte, doch Parker Williams versteht es gut auch Charlie sehr gut zu beleuchten. Der ist fast zu gut um wahr zu sein. Doch er ist nicht perfekt und bis sie sich wirklich finden, müssen Charlie und Matt Höhen und Tiefen überwinden.
Durch Matts Trauma sind körperliche Berührungen und mehr Mangelware. Doch das passt sehr gut zu dieser Geschichte und es spielt sich ja viel auf der mentalen Ebene ab. Oliver schafft es Matts Vertrauen zu gewinnen und kann seine eigenen Bedürfnisse zurückstellen. Zwar lernen sie sich auch körperlich kennen, doch dieser Aspekt der Geschichte braucht einfach Zeit und ist sehr glaubhaft beschrieben. Wer also keinen sextriefenden Actionknaller sucht, sondern eine sehr berührende Geschichte mit ein wenig Humor und viel Gefühl, darf getrost zu diesem Bruch greifen.
October 19, 2017
I really liked this story. I can see why Matt acted like that, with the PTSD and all. Overreacted?
Yes. But in a mind of 16 years old boy who trusted his teacher and attacked by him? Even there's no rape, just one attempted..still..memories followed.
The problem is, Matt rejected the therapy and getting deeper and deeper into his own lonely world.
Until he found Charlie. Charlie is perfect in every way possible. He's definitely a perfect man for Matt.
But...does he really 'that perfect'?
I liked the slow burn relationship between Charlie and Matt, and how patient Charlie with him. And don't forget about the loving brother Trey. He's a picture of a perfect brother.
Looks like everything's perfect...but it's actually not.
This one is almost no angst story, mostly about how's Matt struggled with his inner demon and fighting it if he wants to be with Charlie.
Charlie on the other hand, is a determined man. This is the kind of man I need in my life. Patient and determined. I really liked Charlie, Matt is a lucky guy :)
Overall, this one is a 'fun' read (for me), not too thrilled with the epic ending...but what can I say, Charlie is an epic lover :)
Read this book.
Yes. But in a mind of 16 years old boy who trusted his teacher and attacked by him? Even there's no rape, just one attempted..still..memories followed.
The problem is, Matt rejected the therapy and getting deeper and deeper into his own lonely world.
Until he found Charlie. Charlie is perfect in every way possible. He's definitely a perfect man for Matt.
But...does he really 'that perfect'?
I liked the slow burn relationship between Charlie and Matt, and how patient Charlie with him. And don't forget about the loving brother Trey. He's a picture of a perfect brother.
Looks like everything's perfect...but it's actually not.
This one is almost no angst story, mostly about how's Matt struggled with his inner demon and fighting it if he wants to be with Charlie.
Charlie on the other hand, is a determined man. This is the kind of man I need in my life. Patient and determined. I really liked Charlie, Matt is a lucky guy :)
Overall, this one is a 'fun' read (for me), not too thrilled with the epic ending...but what can I say, Charlie is an epic lover :)
Read this book.
September 27, 2022
It's been a long time since I got so attached to a character as I did to Matt in this book. He was a real, sympathetic character. Even with his issues, he had a strength and willingess to try that edeared him to me almost immediately.
Like so much of the time, I found myself drawn to the secondary character, Clay, Matt's younger/older brother. Some peices of matt's psyche and soul stopped maturing at 16 when his life changed so dramatically, and so even though Clay is younger in years, he has a maturity about life that matt lacks. He is a wonderful, exasperated, caring, worried, loving foil to all of Matt's problems.
This was a great book. Flawed but beautiful characters. Very inspirational.
Like so much of the time, I found myself drawn to the secondary character, Clay, Matt's younger/older brother. Some peices of matt's psyche and soul stopped maturing at 16 when his life changed so dramatically, and so even though Clay is younger in years, he has a maturity about life that matt lacks. He is a wonderful, exasperated, caring, worried, loving foil to all of Matt's problems.
This was a great book. Flawed but beautiful characters. Very inspirational.
February 17, 2018
I could've sworn I had read this... but I guess not? So maybe there's a similar book out there or I just remembered the blurb. Anyway, I liked this. Matthew was interesting and I thought the author did a good job with his story. His trauma wasn't excessive, it was just real and raw and heart breaking. I will say that the book went on 1-2 chapters too long. I was happy where it was, I didn't need the fairy tale and the pink ribbon .
There were a few twists and turn in the story and relationship development that kept me on my toes. Again, nothing excessive or OTT. Charlie was a tad too perfect and understanding. Granted, Matt served some unconditional love, so I just let them have it and didn't stress too much. And Clay was a great secondary character that really added something to the story. If we had only seen the relationship couple then we would have really bee missing out.
My first thought when the narrator spoke his first words were "AHH!" It was deep and a little intense and I wasn't sure how it made me feel. But I ended up settling right in. By the end his voice sounded totally normal, so I'm not sure who changed, him or me. But I liked the different voices and thought it was a very even keel narration.
In addition to the ending, the sex scenes didn't do anything for me. The first one is actually when I took a little break because I just couldn't listen anymore, and had to make myself go back and just finish the last 1-2 chapters. I feel terrible, because Charlie was being really kind and understanding to Matt... but all the gentility and caution wasn't really sexy to me. It was perfect for them, but dragged on too much for me and had too much detail.
But overall a nice read about two sweet and gentle men who find each other, and the lives they didn't know they always wanted. Nice to listen to in narration.
Received audio version from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
There were a few twists and turn in the story and relationship development that kept me on my toes. Again, nothing excessive or OTT. Charlie was a tad too perfect and understanding. Granted, Matt served some unconditional love, so I just let them have it and didn't stress too much. And Clay was a great secondary character that really added something to the story. If we had only seen the relationship couple then we would have really bee missing out.
My first thought when the narrator spoke his first words were "AHH!" It was deep and a little intense and I wasn't sure how it made me feel. But I ended up settling right in. By the end his voice sounded totally normal, so I'm not sure who changed, him or me. But I liked the different voices and thought it was a very even keel narration.
In addition to the ending, the sex scenes didn't do anything for me. The first one is actually when I took a little break because I just couldn't listen anymore, and had to make myself go back and just finish the last 1-2 chapters. I feel terrible, because Charlie was being really kind and understanding to Matt... but all the gentility and caution wasn't really sexy to me. It was perfect for them, but dragged on too much for me and had too much detail.
But overall a nice read about two sweet and gentle men who find each other, and the lives they didn't know they always wanted. Nice to listen to in narration.
Received audio version from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
July 5, 2017
After suffering an attack at 16, Matt suffers from extreme OCD and PTSD. He has locked himself away from the world in a cabin miles from town. He has turned his land into a self-sustaining oasis. He grows his own food, he fishes and hunts on his last and has almost no contact with the outside world. Then one day his world is turned upside down when someone starts jogging past his house everyday. The first sighting sent Matt into a panic attack to rival all panic attacks. Matt tried calling the sheriff to see if he could stop him, but the runner isn't breaking any laws. Slowly, Matt comes to expect the runner at the same time everyday. One day when he doesn't show up Matt's world tips again. Can he leave his carefully constructed world to find out what happened to his runner?
This was a great read. My heart broke for Matt so many times throughout this story. His reaction to the attack was extreme, but how could it not be? He was 16, with very little if any coping skills. His mom did his a great disservice, she wan't strong enough to get him the help he needed and so he retreated into himself where he knew he was safe and then eventually to his compound.
The runner, Charlie was an intriguing character. I love that he pushed Matt's boundaries without being pushy or mean. He knew when to push and when to back off. He was so caring and understanding.
I loved the amount of detail in Matt's compound. When Parker Williams described it I could actually visualize it, and I really have no imagination. From the greenhouse to the lake and all the gardens.
The thing that made me love this story was that Matt fell in love with Charlie and that made him want to get help to fix his issues, but Charlie made his see that he loved him issues and all and if he was getting help it was for himself. That he was loved either way, warts and all.
The story line was not at all predictable, as soon as I thought I knew what was going to happen something else would. I love that. The characters and the setting were well developed and rich with detail. This is the first time I have read anything from Parker Williams but it won't be the last.
This was a great read. My heart broke for Matt so many times throughout this story. His reaction to the attack was extreme, but how could it not be? He was 16, with very little if any coping skills. His mom did his a great disservice, she wan't strong enough to get him the help he needed and so he retreated into himself where he knew he was safe and then eventually to his compound.
The runner, Charlie was an intriguing character. I love that he pushed Matt's boundaries without being pushy or mean. He knew when to push and when to back off. He was so caring and understanding.
I loved the amount of detail in Matt's compound. When Parker Williams described it I could actually visualize it, and I really have no imagination. From the greenhouse to the lake and all the gardens.
The thing that made me love this story was that Matt fell in love with Charlie and that made him want to get help to fix his issues, but Charlie made his see that he loved him issues and all and if he was getting help it was for himself. That he was loved either way, warts and all.
The story line was not at all predictable, as soon as I thought I knew what was going to happen something else would. I love that. The characters and the setting were well developed and rich with detail. This is the first time I have read anything from Parker Williams but it won't be the last.
August 19, 2017
The first chapter gripped me. I loved it. Then, I didn't. I didn't like Matt's brother pressuring Matt. I thought Charlie was too perfect. Was there ANYTHING that could have ruffled his perfect feathers?
I did love how Matt grew a lot of his own food and canned/planned for winter.
I did love how Matt grew a lot of his own food and canned/planned for winter.
July 2, 2019
4.5 - Voto
.
Nayeli - per RFS
.
" Rimanemmo in quella posizione, e Clay mi tenne abbracciato ancora per qualche istante, prima di fare un passo indietro. Aveva gli occhi rossi e sembrava esausto.
“Hai costruito questo mondo perfetto per te stesso ma ci hai portato via l’unica cosa che rendeva giusto il nostro. Lo capisci?”
La storia tra Matt e Charlie è una storia dolce e timida, fatta di un amore paziente e della risalita da un mondo oscuro, caratterizzato da manie ossessivo-compulsive e dall’isolamento sociale.
Matt ha subito un evento traumatico da adolescente, cosa che ha scatenato in lui dei disturbi del comportamento così forti da spingerlo a evitare del tutto le persone e a ritirarsi in una baita nei boschi, dove vive di ciò che produce.
Charlie è incuriosito dal quel ragazzo che si nasconde dietro la tenda della baita quando lui passa per la corsa mattutina, e continua tenacemente a invadere il suo territorio finché è lui stesso a fare il primo passo, nel tentativo di allontanarlo – o di farselo amico.
Per Charlie è un colpo di fulmine, ma non affretterà le cose e seguirà il ragazzo dei boschi nelle sue ossessioni con tenerezza, senza giudicarlo, senza fare pressioni, senza chiedere.
Lo ascolta, lo mette a suo agio e finisce per rappresentare, per Matt, quell’elemento di rottura che scardina gli schemi ripetitivi e conosciuti, che lo induce a provare cose nuove, a desiderare di cambiare, a smettere di rifugiarsi in soluzioni al ribasso.
Ho trovato il personaggio di Charlie forse un po’ troppo perfetto: si innamora subito senza mettere mai in discussione il comportamento così particolare di Matt. È attento, comprensivo, paziente, tenero fino a sembrare finto.
Tuttavia, il personaggio di Matt (come anche quello del fratello Clay) è così ben caratterizzato, complice anche il punto di vista in prima persona, da attirare tutti i riflettori su di lui e da rendere superflua la presenza di altri personaggi forti e di spessore.
Giustificati i suoi riti maniacali, sfaccettata la sua psicologia. È credibile il modo in cui esce da un isolamento decennale e la gradualità con cui si aprono crepe nella sua routine e nelle sue ansie.
L’autore riesce perfino a mostrare la forza di questo ragazzo, nonostante tutto faccia pensare a debolezze e a un atteggiamento di fuga: Matt ha trovato una sua formula per sopravvivere in pieno isolamento e senza aiuti, riuscendoci alla grande.
Non ci sono molte scene di sesso, e quelle che leggiamo sono delicate e descrittive, volte più a insegnare a un ragazzino privo di esperienza quanto l’amore può rendere bello un contatto intimo con un altro uomo, che a rendere erotico un racconto romantico. Anche in questo campo, nessuna fretta, come è giusto che sia.
Con il limite di cui ho accennato sopra in merito al personaggio di Charlie (che forse avrebbe potuto essere chiarito inserendo un capitolo con il suo punto di vista), trovo che sia una lettura con un buon approfondimento e molto piacevole.
“Sei proprio adorabile, lo sai?”
Assottigliai gli occhi. “Sì, ci tengo proprio a essere adorabile.”
Cercai di allontanarmi, ma Charlie mi afferrò il mento. “Ehi, non c’è niente di male a essere adorabili.” Mi baciò la fronte. “O dolci.” Il naso. “O belli.” Le labbra.
.
Nayeli - per RFS
.
" Rimanemmo in quella posizione, e Clay mi tenne abbracciato ancora per qualche istante, prima di fare un passo indietro. Aveva gli occhi rossi e sembrava esausto.
“Hai costruito questo mondo perfetto per te stesso ma ci hai portato via l’unica cosa che rendeva giusto il nostro. Lo capisci?”
La storia tra Matt e Charlie è una storia dolce e timida, fatta di un amore paziente e della risalita da un mondo oscuro, caratterizzato da manie ossessivo-compulsive e dall’isolamento sociale.
Matt ha subito un evento traumatico da adolescente, cosa che ha scatenato in lui dei disturbi del comportamento così forti da spingerlo a evitare del tutto le persone e a ritirarsi in una baita nei boschi, dove vive di ciò che produce.
Charlie è incuriosito dal quel ragazzo che si nasconde dietro la tenda della baita quando lui passa per la corsa mattutina, e continua tenacemente a invadere il suo territorio finché è lui stesso a fare il primo passo, nel tentativo di allontanarlo – o di farselo amico.
Per Charlie è un colpo di fulmine, ma non affretterà le cose e seguirà il ragazzo dei boschi nelle sue ossessioni con tenerezza, senza giudicarlo, senza fare pressioni, senza chiedere.
Lo ascolta, lo mette a suo agio e finisce per rappresentare, per Matt, quell’elemento di rottura che scardina gli schemi ripetitivi e conosciuti, che lo induce a provare cose nuove, a desiderare di cambiare, a smettere di rifugiarsi in soluzioni al ribasso.
Ho trovato il personaggio di Charlie forse un po’ troppo perfetto: si innamora subito senza mettere mai in discussione il comportamento così particolare di Matt. È attento, comprensivo, paziente, tenero fino a sembrare finto.
Tuttavia, il personaggio di Matt (come anche quello del fratello Clay) è così ben caratterizzato, complice anche il punto di vista in prima persona, da attirare tutti i riflettori su di lui e da rendere superflua la presenza di altri personaggi forti e di spessore.
Giustificati i suoi riti maniacali, sfaccettata la sua psicologia. È credibile il modo in cui esce da un isolamento decennale e la gradualità con cui si aprono crepe nella sua routine e nelle sue ansie.
L’autore riesce perfino a mostrare la forza di questo ragazzo, nonostante tutto faccia pensare a debolezze e a un atteggiamento di fuga: Matt ha trovato una sua formula per sopravvivere in pieno isolamento e senza aiuti, riuscendoci alla grande.
Non ci sono molte scene di sesso, e quelle che leggiamo sono delicate e descrittive, volte più a insegnare a un ragazzino privo di esperienza quanto l’amore può rendere bello un contatto intimo con un altro uomo, che a rendere erotico un racconto romantico. Anche in questo campo, nessuna fretta, come è giusto che sia.
Con il limite di cui ho accennato sopra in merito al personaggio di Charlie (che forse avrebbe potuto essere chiarito inserendo un capitolo con il suo punto di vista), trovo che sia una lettura con un buon approfondimento e molto piacevole.
“Sei proprio adorabile, lo sai?”
Assottigliai gli occhi. “Sì, ci tengo proprio a essere adorabile.”
Cercai di allontanarmi, ma Charlie mi afferrò il mento. “Ehi, non c’è niente di male a essere adorabili.” Mi baciò la fronte. “O dolci.” Il naso. “O belli.” Le labbra.
July 13, 2017
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ FOUR & 1/2 - STAR ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
Handsome young man peers out window, watching another man jog by. Background looks misty or foggy, obscuring any other features of the neighborhood. The left hand on the window does not look like it belongs to the man at the window, strange placement and spatial differences. Strong, bold title and author fonts. Intriguing synopsis.
> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> First person, Matt's POV.
If your heart doesn't break, even just a little, for Matt then you surely must not have one beating in your chest to begin with. Matt's story is emotional. From the time he was sexually assaulted at sixteen by a trusted figure to now, thirteen years later, Matt has battled nightmares, terror, depression, anxiety / panic attacks, OCD, and a form of agoraphobia. It's not until murder mystery author, Charlie, moves to town and takes to jogging the dead end road that runs past Matt's house that Matt starts to feel that his safely isolated world is truly lonely. Charlie seems like a nice guy and made fast friends with Matt's brother, the sheriff. An accident brings the two even closer, bringing each man a completion and balanced inner peace that neither expected.
The secondary characters are few, but lend a supportive role to the plot. The old store owner tries to steal his scenes in the most enjoyable ways. The story is dynamic, emotional, and perfectly paced. There are conflicts along the way that are addressed in very human ways, often in not the most efficient manner, but more real for their flaws. Predictability was low. In fact, I'd kind of hoped for some wonderfully tragic news to reach them regarding a certain person but sadly that not never happened. The ending is solid and satisfying with a playful hint that their story was not over (although more may not be written).
Overall, YES, I would recommend this book to any of those M/M readers that love the perfectly flawed, wounded warriors, tragic past type characters and tropes. It's well-written characters draw you in and Matt will SHRED your heart early-on with his struggles!
.
Rating: [R] ~ Score: 4.45 ~ Stars: 4 (4.5 if I could!!)
==========================
⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from Dreamspinner Press with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐
> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
Handsome young man peers out window, watching another man jog by. Background looks misty or foggy, obscuring any other features of the neighborhood. The left hand on the window does not look like it belongs to the man at the window, strange placement and spatial differences. Strong, bold title and author fonts. Intriguing synopsis.
> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> First person, Matt's POV.
If your heart doesn't break, even just a little, for Matt then you surely must not have one beating in your chest to begin with. Matt's story is emotional. From the time he was sexually assaulted at sixteen by a trusted figure to now, thirteen years later, Matt has battled nightmares, terror, depression, anxiety / panic attacks, OCD, and a form of agoraphobia. It's not until murder mystery author, Charlie, moves to town and takes to jogging the dead end road that runs past Matt's house that Matt starts to feel that his safely isolated world is truly lonely. Charlie seems like a nice guy and made fast friends with Matt's brother, the sheriff. An accident brings the two even closer, bringing each man a completion and balanced inner peace that neither expected.
The secondary characters are few, but lend a supportive role to the plot. The old store owner tries to steal his scenes in the most enjoyable ways. The story is dynamic, emotional, and perfectly paced. There are conflicts along the way that are addressed in very human ways, often in not the most efficient manner, but more real for their flaws. Predictability was low. In fact, I'd kind of hoped for some wonderfully tragic news to reach them regarding a certain person but sadly that not never happened. The ending is solid and satisfying with a playful hint that their story was not over (although more may not be written).
Overall, YES, I would recommend this book to any of those M/M readers that love the perfectly flawed, wounded warriors, tragic past type characters and tropes. It's well-written characters draw you in and Matt will SHRED your heart early-on with his struggles!
.
Rating: [R] ~ Score: 4.45 ~ Stars: 4 (4.5 if I could!!)
==========================
⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from Dreamspinner Press with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐
July 9, 2017
Runner (ebook edition)
by Parker Williams
“It takes courage to ask for help.”
Bookish Lovers, I have a fantastic recommendation for you!
It’s called Runner. It is an LGBT novel, a mm romance. And I am in LOVE with this story, from the beginning to the end it was everything!
Something terrible happened to Matt when he was barely 16, now almost more than a decade later he lives in isolation, this is Matts story how he overcomes his intense anxiety, manages his OCD, PTSD, and fights for what was taken from him all those years ago. HIS. LIFE!
13 years. It has been that long since Matt has interacted with people, he hasn’t had anything but acres of land and his treasures that keep him calm. That is until the charming Charlie runs into his life. You see Matt doesn’t trust anyone, he also pushed his mother and his brother away, the only kind of communication with the outside world he has, is a few random calls to his brother, and to place an order for food from the town so many miles away to deliver. Though he tends to just live off his own land, fish from his pond and the fruit and vegetable he grows and cans himself. He has made himself a safe life, he likes structure and his own routines and chores, he has a schedule that he must stick too. If he feels like he is being threatened he has massive panic attacks, to calm him down or to center himself again he must touch his treasures that are placed around his home before he calms.
“Life is hurt, Matt. “
But over the last 6 months a mystery man keeps using his road to jog upon, and for that entire time it makes him unsettled, he rings his brother over the duration of the 6 months to make the man stop, Matt’s brother Clay is the town sheriff. Clay misses his brother so damn much, the brotherhood these two have is just beautiful. anyways, the jogger is Charlie and Clay tells Matt that the man isn’t doing anything wrong, he just running and he is not doing anything illegal, and that until the jogger does something criminally wrong then he would step in, but other than that to get used to it… over time Matt puts the jogger into his routine and at 10 am every morning he watches this man run past, then one day the man waves at him… and Matt freaks out and rings his brother again, Clay makes or he really just threatens Matt that if he doesn’t try and *fix* himself that he will have no other choice but to ring the judge and get control of Matt and put him into a programme that can help him, Matt isn’t into that one little bit, he is fine. He has his treasures, his home 20 acres of land, his pond that he fishes at, and most of all he is safe! But his brother makes this ridiculous challenge for him to go and say hello to the jogger and find out his name, he gives him 7 days to do this, or else he will step in, and if he does get his name just maybe Clay will talk to the jogger… (maybe) on the 7th day Matt just does that, he digs deep and his brave, freaking the f* out but he needs this dudes name…and what happens next is something you all must read about.
What Matt wasn’t expecting was Charlie, he is charming and kind and beautiful and makes him want things he has never dreamed of before, if he wants more than the life he has created for himself he must let Charlie in, he must learn to trust again. But what if that trust gets broken?
“What is normal? Who decides?”
I really loved this story, a few things happened that shook me, and one thing that happened my heart ended in my tummy, the emotions this story makes you go through is powerful and beautiful I had been in the worst mm funk of late, nothing was catching my attention. Until I picked up this I NEVER found myself getting bored, I was so captivated with the characters, and this story; even though this is only in one POV Matts, that was okay. I loved going on his journey to find hope and trust again. It never felt dragged out, I know that this is fiction and for what this story is about I really thought the author has done an amazing. There isn’t a lot of sex in this one, so if you’re looking for a quick sexy read this isn’t the one for you, there is a lot of finding yourself, growing and falling in love for the first/second time. There is a lot of heart, a lot of freaking out, a lot of growth and a lot of swooning. I loved Charlie and I loved Matt, their story was everything!
I loved Clay, but then I didn’t and then I did again. Like I said all the characters play a major part in Matts life, and it is truly wonderful to read about. Their relationship as brother was so lovely.
Runner is such a charming story.
“Sex is great, but it’s not the be-all of life. Things like this—sitting on the porch, watching the moon, holding you—those are the important things I want to have every day.”
Parker Williams has been around for a while, I have seen his stories but not until I received an arc of this story have I read him before, I think in the future I will check out his other work. I honestly think you will enjoy this story, with an open mind. There are definitely triggers for some that might feel uncomfortable, but it is done in a way that wasn’t graphic or disgusting.
This is Matts story, go along with him and find out how he took back his life, fell in love and found that he could trust the right people. So many beautiful moments in this story, the perfect balance of all the things I love in a story. I also love the cover of this book, so random I know! but as you all know me I do love a good cover and that the cover and the story of the book match is just perfect!
“I want to give you my heart, Matt, because, of everyone I know in the world, I think it’s the safest with you.”
Arc was generously given to me to read for an honest review by the publishers.
by Parker Williams
“It takes courage to ask for help.”
Bookish Lovers, I have a fantastic recommendation for you!
It’s called Runner. It is an LGBT novel, a mm romance. And I am in LOVE with this story, from the beginning to the end it was everything!
Something terrible happened to Matt when he was barely 16, now almost more than a decade later he lives in isolation, this is Matts story how he overcomes his intense anxiety, manages his OCD, PTSD, and fights for what was taken from him all those years ago. HIS. LIFE!
13 years. It has been that long since Matt has interacted with people, he hasn’t had anything but acres of land and his treasures that keep him calm. That is until the charming Charlie runs into his life. You see Matt doesn’t trust anyone, he also pushed his mother and his brother away, the only kind of communication with the outside world he has, is a few random calls to his brother, and to place an order for food from the town so many miles away to deliver. Though he tends to just live off his own land, fish from his pond and the fruit and vegetable he grows and cans himself. He has made himself a safe life, he likes structure and his own routines and chores, he has a schedule that he must stick too. If he feels like he is being threatened he has massive panic attacks, to calm him down or to center himself again he must touch his treasures that are placed around his home before he calms.
“Life is hurt, Matt. “
But over the last 6 months a mystery man keeps using his road to jog upon, and for that entire time it makes him unsettled, he rings his brother over the duration of the 6 months to make the man stop, Matt’s brother Clay is the town sheriff. Clay misses his brother so damn much, the brotherhood these two have is just beautiful. anyways, the jogger is Charlie and Clay tells Matt that the man isn’t doing anything wrong, he just running and he is not doing anything illegal, and that until the jogger does something criminally wrong then he would step in, but other than that to get used to it… over time Matt puts the jogger into his routine and at 10 am every morning he watches this man run past, then one day the man waves at him… and Matt freaks out and rings his brother again, Clay makes or he really just threatens Matt that if he doesn’t try and *fix* himself that he will have no other choice but to ring the judge and get control of Matt and put him into a programme that can help him, Matt isn’t into that one little bit, he is fine. He has his treasures, his home 20 acres of land, his pond that he fishes at, and most of all he is safe! But his brother makes this ridiculous challenge for him to go and say hello to the jogger and find out his name, he gives him 7 days to do this, or else he will step in, and if he does get his name just maybe Clay will talk to the jogger… (maybe) on the 7th day Matt just does that, he digs deep and his brave, freaking the f* out but he needs this dudes name…and what happens next is something you all must read about.
What Matt wasn’t expecting was Charlie, he is charming and kind and beautiful and makes him want things he has never dreamed of before, if he wants more than the life he has created for himself he must let Charlie in, he must learn to trust again. But what if that trust gets broken?
“What is normal? Who decides?”
I really loved this story, a few things happened that shook me, and one thing that happened my heart ended in my tummy, the emotions this story makes you go through is powerful and beautiful I had been in the worst mm funk of late, nothing was catching my attention. Until I picked up this I NEVER found myself getting bored, I was so captivated with the characters, and this story; even though this is only in one POV Matts, that was okay. I loved going on his journey to find hope and trust again. It never felt dragged out, I know that this is fiction and for what this story is about I really thought the author has done an amazing. There isn’t a lot of sex in this one, so if you’re looking for a quick sexy read this isn’t the one for you, there is a lot of finding yourself, growing and falling in love for the first/second time. There is a lot of heart, a lot of freaking out, a lot of growth and a lot of swooning. I loved Charlie and I loved Matt, their story was everything!
I loved Clay, but then I didn’t and then I did again. Like I said all the characters play a major part in Matts life, and it is truly wonderful to read about. Their relationship as brother was so lovely.
Runner is such a charming story.
“Sex is great, but it’s not the be-all of life. Things like this—sitting on the porch, watching the moon, holding you—those are the important things I want to have every day.”
Parker Williams has been around for a while, I have seen his stories but not until I received an arc of this story have I read him before, I think in the future I will check out his other work. I honestly think you will enjoy this story, with an open mind. There are definitely triggers for some that might feel uncomfortable, but it is done in a way that wasn’t graphic or disgusting.
This is Matts story, go along with him and find out how he took back his life, fell in love and found that he could trust the right people. So many beautiful moments in this story, the perfect balance of all the things I love in a story. I also love the cover of this book, so random I know! but as you all know me I do love a good cover and that the cover and the story of the book match is just perfect!
“I want to give you my heart, Matt, because, of everyone I know in the world, I think it’s the safest with you.”
Arc was generously given to me to read for an honest review by the publishers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2017
Well WOW. Colour me impressed and a very happy reader.
The lies we tell ourselves are the most damning ones of all, because after a time we start to believe them.
This book intrigued me ever since Parker Williams first mentioned it on Facebook and shared the blurb. To say I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it would be a gross understatement. Of course there are risks involved when a new release is anticipated as much as this one was. I’m delighted and grateful that Runner not only lived up to my expectations but exceeded them.
Matt’s story is heartbreaking. The ordeal he had to go through as a sixteen year old would bring somebody twice his age to their knees and it is therefore hardly surprising that he retreats into himself, stops trusting the world and creates coping mechanisms for himself to deal with his little corner of that world. Of course the way he gets through his days is not what others would call ‘normal’ (if ever there was a word I hate), but it works for him and for more than a decade it is enough for him.
The runner, who turns out to be an author named Charlie, upsets Matt’s carefully planned routine. Until, almost imperceptibly, he becomes part of that regimen and slowly and even more carefully gets closer to Matt, drawing him out little by little.
I won’t go into the story itself beyond what I’ve said above except that what follows is beautiful and that you should really read it for yourself.
I do want to say one or two things about why this book touched me so much. Parker Williams managed to create a character who exudes both a troubled mind and enormous strength of character at the same time. It would have been so easy to turn Matt into a perpetual victim. After all, he had every reason to give up. But rather than make the reader pity Matt, he’s given us a man who lives his life on his terms. Others may not approve of how he’s living, but he’s independent, and while he may not be happy, he’s not unhappy either. He’s okay.
I’m so glad this wasn’t a ‘love fixes all’ sorta story. Yes, with Charlie’s help Matt manages to start looking outside the shell he’s created for himself and take the first steps towards interacting with the world at large again, but it isn’t an overnight miracle. It’s tiny steps forward with setbacks along the way. In fact, by the end of the book there’s still no guarantee that Matt will ever overcome all his issues. But, and that’s a message I want to be heard loud and clear, that’s okay. He’s dealing with his issues, aware of them and getting ever better at living both with and despite them. Because that’s how it is in real life. We don’t miraculously overcome whatever is wrong with us; we deal, we make the best of what we have and, if we’re lucky, the situation will continue to improve. This book left me convinced that Matt’s journey had only begun and that he would move further along that road because he’s that strong and because he had that support — from his community, from his family and, most importantly from Charlie.
Charlie *sighs* Oh Charlie. Now, I have to be honest here. Charlie came very close to being too good to be true. He does have a bit of a fairytale prince aura. It is both surprising and further proof of Parker William’s skill as an author that he didn’t irritate me. He was just about human and fallible enough to keep him real. And he was so exactly what Matt needed. The way their relationship develops from strangers, through begrudging acquaintances, via friends, to lovers was beautiful. They grew into each other in what felt like an organic manner and it was a joy to see it happen. And best of all, Charlie doesn’t try to fix Matt; for Charlie, Matt is good enough just as he is. And if he wants to try and push himself further, Charlie wants Matt to do it for himself and not for Charlie.
In fact, I think the reason I fell in love with this story is because it had just the right balance of realism and fairytale — although the smooth writing, gorgeous main characters, and wonderful secondary characters, may also have had something to do with it.
Long story short: I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am incredibly grateful that I could read it in one sitting. I did not want to part from Matt and Charlie until I was sure they were okay. And just in case you’re wondering; I do recommend this book!
The lies we tell ourselves are the most damning ones of all, because after a time we start to believe them.
This book intrigued me ever since Parker Williams first mentioned it on Facebook and shared the blurb. To say I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it would be a gross understatement. Of course there are risks involved when a new release is anticipated as much as this one was. I’m delighted and grateful that Runner not only lived up to my expectations but exceeded them.
Matt’s story is heartbreaking. The ordeal he had to go through as a sixteen year old would bring somebody twice his age to their knees and it is therefore hardly surprising that he retreats into himself, stops trusting the world and creates coping mechanisms for himself to deal with his little corner of that world. Of course the way he gets through his days is not what others would call ‘normal’ (if ever there was a word I hate), but it works for him and for more than a decade it is enough for him.
The runner, who turns out to be an author named Charlie, upsets Matt’s carefully planned routine. Until, almost imperceptibly, he becomes part of that regimen and slowly and even more carefully gets closer to Matt, drawing him out little by little.
I won’t go into the story itself beyond what I’ve said above except that what follows is beautiful and that you should really read it for yourself.
I do want to say one or two things about why this book touched me so much. Parker Williams managed to create a character who exudes both a troubled mind and enormous strength of character at the same time. It would have been so easy to turn Matt into a perpetual victim. After all, he had every reason to give up. But rather than make the reader pity Matt, he’s given us a man who lives his life on his terms. Others may not approve of how he’s living, but he’s independent, and while he may not be happy, he’s not unhappy either. He’s okay.
I’m so glad this wasn’t a ‘love fixes all’ sorta story. Yes, with Charlie’s help Matt manages to start looking outside the shell he’s created for himself and take the first steps towards interacting with the world at large again, but it isn’t an overnight miracle. It’s tiny steps forward with setbacks along the way. In fact, by the end of the book there’s still no guarantee that Matt will ever overcome all his issues. But, and that’s a message I want to be heard loud and clear, that’s okay. He’s dealing with his issues, aware of them and getting ever better at living both with and despite them. Because that’s how it is in real life. We don’t miraculously overcome whatever is wrong with us; we deal, we make the best of what we have and, if we’re lucky, the situation will continue to improve. This book left me convinced that Matt’s journey had only begun and that he would move further along that road because he’s that strong and because he had that support — from his community, from his family and, most importantly from Charlie.
Charlie *sighs* Oh Charlie. Now, I have to be honest here. Charlie came very close to being too good to be true. He does have a bit of a fairytale prince aura. It is both surprising and further proof of Parker William’s skill as an author that he didn’t irritate me. He was just about human and fallible enough to keep him real. And he was so exactly what Matt needed. The way their relationship develops from strangers, through begrudging acquaintances, via friends, to lovers was beautiful. They grew into each other in what felt like an organic manner and it was a joy to see it happen. And best of all, Charlie doesn’t try to fix Matt; for Charlie, Matt is good enough just as he is. And if he wants to try and push himself further, Charlie wants Matt to do it for himself and not for Charlie.
In fact, I think the reason I fell in love with this story is because it had just the right balance of realism and fairytale — although the smooth writing, gorgeous main characters, and wonderful secondary characters, may also have had something to do with it.
Long story short: I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am incredibly grateful that I could read it in one sitting. I did not want to part from Matt and Charlie until I was sure they were okay. And just in case you’re wondering; I do recommend this book!
September 19, 2021
Es hat lange gedauert, aber endlich ist DSP wieder mit deutschen Übersetzungen am Start und ich habe nicht gezögert, mir das Buch »Der Läufer« von Parker Williams als Rezi-Exemplar zu sichern, denn die Inhaltsangabe hat mich sofort angesprochen.
Es ist eine vorrangig ruhige Geschichte, die sich auf wenig Drama zur richtigen Zeit beschränkt und seinem Paar, Matt und Charlie, viel Raum lässt, um sich zu entwickeln. Den brauchen sie auch, vor allem Matt, denn er hat eine Vergangenheit hinter sich, die man niemandem wünschen mag, und lebt seither praktisch in seiner eigenen kleinen Welt. Um ihn da rauszuholen, ist seine Familie zu einigem bereit und das sorgt später auch noch für Ärger, was ich gut nachvollziehen kann. So sehr ich Matts Bruder verstehe, was er macht, geht für mich gar nicht. Kein Wunder, dass Matt stinksauer ist, als er die Wahrheit erfährt. Aber ich werde nicht spoilern, lest einfach selbst. Es lohnt sich.
Einziges Manko und dafür gibt es auch einen Punkt Abzug von mir: die schludrige Korrektur. Mehrfach werden Namen vertauscht und es gibt zig kleine Fehler, die definitiv nicht hätten sein müssen und die mich beim Lesen irgendwann gestört haben.
Fazit: eine schöne Geschichte, die zufriedene 4 Sterne von mir bekommen hätte, wäre sie vernünftig korrigiert worden.
Es ist eine vorrangig ruhige Geschichte, die sich auf wenig Drama zur richtigen Zeit beschränkt und seinem Paar, Matt und Charlie, viel Raum lässt, um sich zu entwickeln. Den brauchen sie auch, vor allem Matt, denn er hat eine Vergangenheit hinter sich, die man niemandem wünschen mag, und lebt seither praktisch in seiner eigenen kleinen Welt. Um ihn da rauszuholen, ist seine Familie zu einigem bereit und das sorgt später auch noch für Ärger, was ich gut nachvollziehen kann. So sehr ich Matts Bruder verstehe, was er macht, geht für mich gar nicht. Kein Wunder, dass Matt stinksauer ist, als er die Wahrheit erfährt. Aber ich werde nicht spoilern, lest einfach selbst. Es lohnt sich.
Einziges Manko und dafür gibt es auch einen Punkt Abzug von mir: die schludrige Korrektur. Mehrfach werden Namen vertauscht und es gibt zig kleine Fehler, die definitiv nicht hätten sein müssen und die mich beim Lesen irgendwann gestört haben.
Fazit: eine schöne Geschichte, die zufriedene 4 Sterne von mir bekommen hätte, wäre sie vernünftig korrigiert worden.
August 30, 2017
This one had me grabbing the tissues a time or three... so that tells me that this author can write emotional scenes that touch my heart and for that reason alone I will be pursuing more books by Parker Williams to read in the future!
I find myself fascinated by the various ways OCD and PTSD are perceived by others. The fact that there are NO rules as to how they manifest themselves outside of the fact that no 2 people will be affected in the same way make these two extremely hard to treat. Charlie is correct in saying that Matt is brave! It takes a brave person to make a life as fulfilling as possible in whatever form it may be when dealing with one or both of these issues.
Kudos to Parker Williams for a well-written story and thank you for the HEA! Any book that leaves me with a smile on my face is a good read, in my opinion! :D
I find myself fascinated by the various ways OCD and PTSD are perceived by others. The fact that there are NO rules as to how they manifest themselves outside of the fact that no 2 people will be affected in the same way make these two extremely hard to treat. Charlie is correct in saying that Matt is brave! It takes a brave person to make a life as fulfilling as possible in whatever form it may be when dealing with one or both of these issues.
Kudos to Parker Williams for a well-written story and thank you for the HEA! Any book that leaves me with a smile on my face is a good read, in my opinion! :D
December 5, 2017
3.5/5
It was a sweet hurts/comfort read with a nice secondary casts. However, there are parts of the book that didn't work for me. Matt's maturity seemed to have frozen since the incident, but that's just a personal comment. Maybe it have to do with the ptsd representation. :/
I do find the author pushing to hard on the sex tho. I guess she thought it would be sweet/cute or something. But I find it jarring, and disrupt the flow/ mood of the story. I would have prefer had there been no sex at all tbh. :/
It was a sweet hurts/comfort read with a nice secondary casts. However, there are parts of the book that didn't work for me. Matt's maturity seemed to have frozen since the incident, but that's just a personal comment. Maybe it have to do with the ptsd representation. :/
I do find the author pushing to hard on the sex tho. I guess she thought it would be sweet/cute or something. But I find it jarring, and disrupt the flow/ mood of the story. I would have prefer had there been no sex at all tbh. :/
January 15, 2019
Williams deftly tells the tale of a traumatized man and his slow ascent in putting his life back together. Those who've lived through traumatic experiences will recognize how strong and self-reliant Matt is even though he lives like a recluse. Author Williams also reassures readers that being given the right nudge at the right time is essential to healing. That Matt is given that nudge and acts positively on it becomes the foundation for a wonderful love story. I highly recommend this book.
July 18, 2022
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